Government takes step to address dust storms

TIN news:    Following a heavy dust storm in western and southwestern provinces, President Hassan Rouhani’s administration has started taking necessary measures to address the issue.
 
Southwestern and western parts of Iran, including the provinces of Khuzestan, Ilam, Lorestan, Kurdistan, West and East Azerbaijan, and Kermanshah are experiencing heavy pollution caused by dust storm.
 
The heavy dust has already brought life to a partial halt in these areas, especially in the city of Ahvaz in Khuzestan, and forced closure of schools and offices.
 
In a phone call with Governor of Khuzestan Province Abdol-Hossein Moqtadaei on Tuesday, Rouhani was briefed on the latest measures taken against the crisis, and urged Moqtadaei to cooperate with the working group set up by the government to confront dust storm.
 
He also underlined the necessity for supplying and providing people’s urgent needs including masks and medical emergencies.
 
Earlier on Monday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei had called on the government to take appropriate measures and immediate decisions to resolve the dust problem.
 
Rouhani’s cabinet set up a working group on Monday to study how to tackle the dust particles.
 
The working group was chaired by the first vice president Jahangiri, health minister, the Department of Environment chief, and oil minister.