The blade of mines on the ice throat; Wildlife is in danger
Kashan - The people of Abu Zeidabad have been paying the cost of mining activities for years, from the destruction of habitats and the formation of dust centers to the insecurity of rural roads, and they have been complaining about the lack of supervision by the authorities for years.
Ambassador of Arjan Group of Provinces - Hadi Najafzadeh: Yekhab Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of about 272 thousand hectares in Abu Zeidabad region of Aran Vebidgol city, is one of the valuable natural areas in the central deserts of Iran. The land, which is the habitat of various animal species, is the junction of natural habitats of several provinces and has significant capacities for nature tourism and sustainable development. However, the continuation of mining activities, destruction of natural areas, increase in dust and heavy traffic of trucks have created serious questions about how to manage and protect this natural capital and the quality of life of the residents of the region.
The problem is not only the activity of a few mines in the heart of the desert; The issue is a series of interconnected consequences that starts from encroachment on the wildlife habitat, leads to the creation of dust centers and damage to the tourist routes, and finally, affects the security and peace of the surrounding villages. In such a situation, the basic question is whether the benefits of mineral exploitation are proportional to the costs that the environment and local people pay.
ice A habitat beyond a mineral range
Referring to the ecological value of Yakhab, Seyyed Mehdi Mirghazanfari introduced this region as a collection of mountain, steppe and desert habitats and stated: According to the statistics provided, about 150 species of birds, more than 30 species of mammals and about 20 species of reptiles have been recorded in it.
He expressed: "Kel and goat, ram and ewe, jabeer, hubreh, brown raven, sand cat, caracal and sand fox are among the valuable species of this region." The importance of ice is not limited to this list; The presence of reptiles with a limited geographic distribution, including the Maranjab skink and the desert Ermias, doubles the sensitivity of protecting its habitats.
This researcher and expert on wildlife and reptiles stated: mining activity and destruction and fragmentation of habitats, manipulation of soil and vegetation, dust, noise pollution and vibration caused by mining activities can disrupt the structure and functioning of the ecosystem. The consequence of such interventions may be the reduction of species population, local extinction, and in critical conditions, the destruction of some species.
In an arid ecosystem, where re-vegetation and restoration of degradation can take time, the loss of a natural habitat cannot be compensated simply by ending mining operations or abandoning the harvested area. Any decision about mining activity in such a zone should be made based on a scientific assessment, the ecological capacity of the area and the cumulative effects of the activities; Not just by examining each mine separately.
One of the most important concerns raised by the environmental activists of Abu Zidabad region is the abandonment of harvested areas and the formation of dust centers.
dust centers; The legacy of abandoned mines
An environmental activist from Abu Zeidabad region also criticized the continuation of the activities of some mines and the weakness of their supervision in a conversation with the Mehr reporter: "Despite the promotion of Yakhab to a wildlife sanctuary, no effective measures have been taken to restore and improve the exploited areas of the mines."
He mentioned the Silistine mines in the south of Maranjab and the rubble mines in the north of Abu Zidabad as examples of areas of concern and expressed: The destruction of lands and their abandonment has provided the basis for the formation of dust centers.
This environmental activist stated: This issue requires a field investigation and the publication of expert results; Because dust is not only an apparent consequence of mining activity. The increase of suspended particles can affect the air quality of the surrounding areas and, along with other sources of dust, put more pressure on the lives of residents.
Now the important question is, which institution is responsible for investigating the condition of the destroyed areas, determining the amount of damage and obliging the users to rebuild the fields? For active and closed mines, is there a specific plan to restore the destroyed environment? And if such programs have been developed, how many of them have been implemented?
According to local sources, the monitoring visits of the responsible agencies are not appropriate to the importance and sensitivity of the region. A claim that highlights the need to publish official reports of visits, monitoring results and actions taken to deal with potential violations.
mining trucks; Insecurity in people's lives
A citizen of Abu Zeidabadi said in a conversation with Mehr reporter: The pressure of mining activities in Yakhab is not limited to the mining of minerals. Mineral transport routes have also become one of the centers of dissatisfaction of the residents of the region.
Referring to the widespread and sometimes unsafe movement of heavy trucks from the villages of the region such as Hossein Abad and Qasim Abad, he said: the residents' protests for several years have not yielded tangible results.
According to this citizen, Abu Zeidabadi, in addition to causing concern about the safety of residents, the continuous passage of trucks has increased the dust caused by the traffic of cars and has affected the quality of life of the people.
He also pointed out that hundreds of trucks pass through the tourist routes of Siazgeh and Chah Arous and pointed out that the heavy traffic of mining vehicles in this area has damaged the nature and their tourism capacities.
This situation presents a clear conflict to the management of the region: the routes that can provide the basis for the development of nature tourism and the strengthening of the local economy, should not become a permanent passage for heavy trucks without examining the capacity and consequences of traffic.
Of course, determining the amount of damage to the roads and proving the contribution of mining activities to their destruction requires a technical investigation; But these demands are enough to start the field visit, road safety assessment, dust measurement and alternative routes.
The governorate of Aran and Bidgol, the district administration, the institutions in charge of transportation and the environment and industry, mining and trade departments must specify what rules govern the traffic of trucks, what institution supervises its implementation, and what operational plan is considered to reduce the existing risks and disturbances.
promise to review permits; Does monitoring take place?
In response to the concerns about mining activity in Yekhab, Isfahan Governor Mehdi Jamalinejad, in a conversation with Mehr reporter, announced the review of the licenses of mines located in the area of this shelter in terms of environmental pollution, and referring to the complaints of the people of Kashan and Natanz about the activities of some mines, he stated: Units that have caused damage and concern to the people, when the license renewal deadline arrives, they will be reviewed in terms of continuing operations, and if there is a problem, their license renewal will be opposed. will be
He has also emphasized that mining activities should not be allowed to cause environmental damage in Abu Zidabad region.
These statements can be seen as a sign of the attention of the provincial administration to the raised concerns; But the main issue is how to implement this approach and the transparency of its results.
Will the inspections be limited only to the time of license renewal, or will active mines also be evaluated in terms of compliance with environmental requirements, the level of destruction, dust, and the effects of activity on sensitive habitats? Will the results of evaluations and the reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with the renewal of licenses be made available to the public?
In an area with such ecological sensitivity, it is expected that the review of permits will not be limited to a general diagnosis of the presence or absence of pollution. The evaluation of the cumulative effects of several mines, the status of wildlife corridors, the consequences of transporting minerals and the extent of the possibility of rebuilding destroyed areas should also be considered in decisions.
A clear demand from the responsible institutions
Effective frost protection requires a coordinated set of measures; Actions that should go beyond promises and comments and their results can be evaluated by people.
First, the status of issued and renewed licenses for mines in and around the sanctuary, along with the exact scope of their activities and environmental requirements, should be reviewed and its publishable information clarified.
Second, the Environmental Protection Organization and the Natural Resources Department should conduct regular and documented field visits and assess the state of habitat destruction, dust centers, and the effects of mining activities on vegetation and wildlife.
Third, operators should be responsible for the restoration and improvement of destroyed areas within the framework of relevant laws and obligations. Abandoning land after harvesting should not mean passing on environmental costs to people and future generations.
Fourth, the traffic situation of trucks in Hossein Abad, Qasim Abad and Siazgeh and Chah Arous routes should be checked with the presence of officials in the field. Determining appropriate routes, controlling speed and load, reducing dust, and dealing with accident-prone areas are actions that must be followed with a clear schedule.
It is also necessary to investigate the social consequences of mining activities and the pressure on public services in the region, based on valid data and respecting the rights of all people; Without different social issues becoming an excuse to ignore the legal responsibilities of operators or the rights of local residents.