IranWire:

Iran’s water industry spokesman blamed residents for excessive water use after 20,000 palm trees burned in Khuzestan province, causing economic and cultural damage.

Issa Bozorgzadeh said Khuzestan consumers are “major misusers” who consume water “beyond supplied capacity,” directly affecting water quality and quantity, according to Rokna news agency.

The official cited excessive water extraction for sugarcane farming and wastewater contamination of water sources as key problems.

He said water management projects have stalled due to social opposition and incomplete implementation, harming both the environment and agriculture.

“We have several ongoing projects in this region, but unfortunately, for various reasons, these projects have not progressed or have been implemented incompletely,” Bozorgzadeh said.

The spokesman added that authorities must “rationalize water consumption” and control consumers who damage water supplies.

The destruction of palm trees in Abadan marks a significant loss for the region, where date production is economically vital and palm trees hold cultural importance for local Arab communities.

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