By Dalya Ahmed
Azzaman, November 30, 2014
Baghdad municipality dumps more than 1 million cubic meters of untreated water into the Tigris River every day, Environment Minister Qutaiba al-Jibouri said.
Jibouri said the huge volume of sewage that runs into the river has grave health consequences and has polluted the Tigris
“We hold Baghdad Municipality responsible for polluting the River Tigris by pouring 1.250 million cubic meters of untreated sewage water,” the minister said.
He said his ministry has issued several warnings, which all have been ignored by the ministry.
The revelation has scared many Iraqis as they come amid reports that Islamic State militants are considering polluting or poising the dams and areas through which Iraq’s two main rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates pass.
The militants control cities and towns upstream of the two rivers.
Islamic State insurgents were reported to be behind dumping huge volumes of fuel oil into the Tigris, making it impossible for water treatment plants to function properly.
The control of dams and water resources is part of Islamic State’s strategy.
Initially, the militants occupied Mosul Dam, Iraq’s largest water reservoir and are using flooding as a weapon to halt advance of Iraqi forces towards their areas.
