PAVEH, Iran - Drought and water scarcity have become a source of concern for residents of Paveh in Iran’s western Kurdish region (Rojhelat), sparking deep worry in the hearts of farmers who rely on irrigation to make a living.
The city of Paveh in Kermanshah province, once known for its greenery and bushy forests filled with beautiful oak trees, has in recent years experienced an unexpected water shortage, drying up many of the city’s naturally stunning fields.
Farming has always been a source of income for 45-year-old Kaiwan Jaafari and his family. Yet, the view of his dying trees has taken a heavy emotional toll on him, as it rendered him incapable of taking care of the field planted by his father and grandfather way before him.
“As far as I can remember, farming has been a source of income for many of the families in Paveh, this city had a lot of water and we never had any problems supplying water for our plants. However, in the last two years, water from the springs has completely dried up,” Jaafari told Rudaw English last month.
Jaafari said he had tried everything he could to preserve his beloved trees but was convinced that the only way to save the day was through interference from government officials.
“Our only hope is for relevant officials to come to our aid. Daryan Dam is 20 kilometers away from our farm. If government officials are insistent, they could stream the water from the dam to save us.”
Faisal Walidbaigi, who abandoned his farm due to the water scarcity, decries the officials’ negligence towards the drought and calls on them to work towards controlling the “tragedy” before it is too late.
“I ask of the officials to find a solution for this problem as it is getting worse year by year,” said Walidbaigi, adding “this area gets around 800 millimeters of rain and snow annually, so we should have no water shortage with that amount.”
Paveh is not the only city struggling with water scarcity, as farms and gardens in other parts of the region are on brink of drought as well.
Demonstrations were held in the provinces of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Hamadan in the recent period, protesting the water shortage and calling for the end of the crisis.
In addition to the trees dying, the drying up of lakes and other bodies of water across Iran omens an environmental disaster in the future.
