Parliament Prepares for Extraordinary Session on Tigris, Euphrates Pollution Crisis

The Iraqi Council of Representatives intends to hold an extraordinary session to discuss the escalating pollution in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. A parliamentary official from the Agriculture, Water Resources, Marshes, and Environment Committee stated that the committee will convene a meeting after the legislative recess to address the worsening pollution, which has begun to negatively impact citizens in areas adjacent to the rivers, as well as aquatic life and agricultural crops. The official clarified that the committee plans to propose to the Speaker's Office the convening of a special session, to be attended by officials from the Ministry of Environment and the ministries responsible for contributing to this pollution. The session aims to delve into the details of this issue, the reasons for its recent escalation, and to explore possible solutions for gradually eliminating the contamination. The official affirmed that the committee will seriously follow up on the pollution issue, considering it the most critical challenge facing Iraq. This move follows recent statements indicating an unprecedented increase in the volume of pollutants discharged into the Tigris and Euphrates, which has led to the disfigurement of the rivers' appearance and caused numerous diseases.