Drought affects 70% of the population of the Nasiriyah marshes, and unemployment threatens 5,000 fis

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[size=52]Drought affects 70% of the population of the Nasiriyah marshes, and unemployment threatens 5,000 fishermen[/size]

[size=45]Dhi Qar / Hussein Al-Amel[/size]
[size=45]A specialized association revealed that 70% of the residents of the Nasiriyah marshes lost their only source of livelihood due to drought. While it indicated that 5,000 licensed fishermen and thousands of others joined the army of the unemployed, it confirmed the exodus and migration of hundreds of buffalo breeders towards the north of the city.[/size]
[size=45]The head of the Fishermen's Association in Mar Al-Sanaf, Naji Rahim Al-Saidi, said in an interview with (Al-Mada) that "the Hamar Marsh Ayman Al-Furat, which extends from Suq Al-Shuyoukh district in southern Nasiriyah to Al-Madina district in Basra, has dried up and only the general estuary stream that transports polluted sewage water remains. ».[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saidi added, "The drought also included the central marshes, which includes the Al-Aker marshes, the 15th marshes, and part of the marshes of the Chabayish district."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that 48 km of the Chabayish marshes and the adjacent areas were also exposed to drought and fish died.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saidi stressed that "water levels have fallen to their lowest levels in the rivers and tributaries feeding the marshes, and that the levels of salt and pollution have become very high."[/size]
[size=45]He stated, "The scarce water reaching some areas of the marshes is not suitable for human consumption and even animal consumption."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saidi noted, "This has caused the phenomenon of fish dying, which has been worsening for more than a month, which has led to the fishermen losing their only source of livelihood."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "the mismanagement of water resources has caused not only fishermen to be deprived of job opportunities, but also workers in handicrafts who depend on reeds and papyrus plants for their handicrafts, and other local residents."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saidi stressed, "The residents of the marshes are facing a major economic collapse," noting that "70 percent of the residents of the districts of Suq Al-Shuyoukh, Karma Bani Saeed and Al-Jbayish depend for their livelihood on professions related to the waters of the marshes and the drought of the marshes. They have lost their only source of livelihood and are now in the wind."[/size]
[size=45]He noted, "The source of livelihood and livelihood of the marsh dwellers depends on the water of the marshes, and with its interruption, everyone loses their job opportunities and their livelihoods are cut off."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saeedi stated, "A lot of fishermen are now selling their home furniture to provide a living," noting that "there are 5,000 licensed fishermen, most of whom have lost their jobs."[/size]
[size=45]He spoke about "the launch of repeated calls to save the remaining marshes, but to no avail," and expressed his astonishment at the "policy adopted by the government in managing the file of the marshes and water resources."[/size]
[size=45]In conjunction with the sixth anniversary of the marshes joining the World Heritage List, officials and environmental organizations in Dhi Qar called on the local and central governments on July 17, 2022, to declare the marshes a disaster area. A supreme body to manage the file linked to the Council of Ministers.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saidi continues, "Buffalo breeders are suffering and their livestock is suffering, and many of them have migrated to the areas of Qalaat Sukar, Al-Nasr, Al-Shatra, Upper Euphrates and other provinces, while some of them started selling their livestock and spending it on their families."[/size]
[size=45]While stressing that "75 percent of buffalo breeders have migrated and emigrated," he called "the relevant authorities and ministries to stand up to their responsibilities towards the marshes and their inhabitants and to provide emergency water to revive the dying life," describing the ministries concerned with the dead "that do not hear the cries and calls of the distressed."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saidi believes that "the officials in the local and federal governments did not pay attention to the catastrophe experienced by the marsh areas, so they did not bother themselves to visit them and inspect the conditions of the people and stand on their suffering."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed, "the need to launch an emergency rescue campaign for the marsh dwellers and work to support and compensate them for the losses they suffered, and to include those who lost their job opportunities with a social protection grant."[/size]
[size=45]The professions of fishing, raising buffalo herds and other handicrafts are the main economic source for the residents of the Nasiriyah marshes. Workers in these professions are often threatened with their livelihoods and unemployment after each dry season in the marsh areas.[/size]
[size=45]In a previous interview with Al-Mada, the Regional Director of Nature Iraq, Jassim Al-Asadi, said that "the flooded areas in the marshes are left with only those close to the main river column," expecting that "the coming days will be worse."[/size]
[size=45]He continued, "Buffalo breeders, fishermen and weed collectors are the segments most affected by the water crisis and the drying out of the marshes."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Asadi continues, "The deterioration in water quality caused by the scarcity has caused the spread of diseases among the buffalo herds and the destruction of some of them," stressing that "the percentage of salts rose to 20 thousand parts per million in the regions of the central marshes and the Western Hammar Marsh."[/size]
[size=45]He noted that "the residents of the marshes are calling for a reduction in damage by increasing water releases to the marsh areas, purifying and dredging the rivers feeding them, as well as equitable distribution of water according to the plan approved by the Ministry of Water Resources."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Asadi called for “supporting buffalo herds owners with concentrated feed through the Ministry of Agriculture and the deployment of veterinary teams to combat diseases and epidemics caused by water pollution.”[/size]
[size=45]The marshes constitute one fifth of the area of ​​Dhi Qar Governorate, and they are distributed among ten administrative units out of the 20 included in the governorate. Of the total area of ​​the Nasiriyah marshes, but this submerged area quickly shrinks significantly after every water crisis experienced by the country, which was described as Mesopotamia due to its abundance of water, which began to decline with the control of the upstream countries of water releases and reduced significantly during the current year and the past years. .[/size]
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