Iraq water minister says 454 Tigris violations traced to powerful groups

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Water Resources Minister Mounsen al-Tamimi said Saturday that the Council of Ministers has approved an allocation of 5 billion dinars to combat water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic plant. Speaking at a session in Baghdad attended by the environment minister, members of parliament and media representatives, al-Tamimi said the meeting focused on addressing environmental pollution in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Al-Tamimi said 454 violations along the Tigris had been identified and traced to powerful groups. The ministry said lawsuits have been filed against those responsible and that corruption is a primary driver of the pollution. On salinity in Basra, al-Tamimi said a dam will be built to address the issue, with coordination under way with parliament to advance the project. He added that water cooperation with Syria remains in place and that Iraq is working to protect its water rights. Al-Tamimi said he discussed water issues during a recent visit to Turkey with the prime minister, adding that the Turkish side expressed willingness to increase water flow to Iraq. No further details were immediately available.