Iraqi MP warns of pollution crisis in Maysan, says 150,000 at risk

BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Iraqi lawmaker has warned that around 150,000 people in Maysan province are facing environmental and health risks due to severe water pollution in the al-Batira branch of the river. MP Puha al-Sidhan said residents of Maymouna district and Salam subdistrict are suffering serious hardship from contaminated water supplies. Laboratory tests on samples taken from the river and the local distribution network found pollution levels reaching 100 percent, al-Sidhan said. He reported a marked rise in cases of scabies, kidney disease and allergies in the area. The lawmaker attributed the contamination to the direct discharge of untreated wastewater into the river, warning that the environmental crisis is turning into a public health emergency. He called for a lasting solution to the problem. According to al-Sidhan, a treatment project covering six sedimentation basins has come to a complete halt due to technical and implementation shortcomings. No further details on a timeline for repairs or alternative measures were immediately available.