The project to transfer water from Oman Sea and Persian Gulf in the south to the mainland could help boost the economy and restore the environment, an official at the Department of Environment said.
Masoud Tajrishi, deputy for human environment at DOE, backed the plan and said the project can save water-intensive industries that are ironically located in the drought-stricken central plateau, and alleviate the arid climate.
"Esfahan Steel Company is a water-intensive industry, which is suffering from the drought creeping throughout the country, especially the central plateau," ILNA quoted Tajrishi as saying.
Recently, economists have openly challenged former and present policymakers and the government for setting up huge industries far from the seas, which should close down simply because they are economically unsustainable.
"Relocating the industries to the southern shores is impractical due to the lack of budget, but water transfer from Oman Sea and Persian Gulf to the area is the best option to rescue and revive both the industries and the environment," he said.
Tajrishi noted that it will also stop people from migrating to water-rich areas. The project, which aims to transfer water from the Persian Gulf through Hormozgan Province to Kerman and Yazd through a 750-km pipeline, has been devised and funded by the Persian Gulf Water Supply Company. Parts of it became operational last year but it was suspended due to widespread criticism and is not conducting further feasibility studies.
Water transfer in general is opposed by many experts. The Department of Environment's support of such plans, especially in Khuzestan Province, has been a matter of much conflict recently.
The DOE chief, Isa Kalantari, has even clashed with lawmakers over the issue.
