Picnic in Kurdistan: A time for nature, a danger to environment

With the arrival of the Kurdish New Year, Newroz, and spring, hundreds of thousands of people break the winter lull and take time out at Kurdistan’s resorts and touristic places. This however comes at a cost to the environment; with no or weak enforcement, picnickers often do not abide by environmental regulations and they leave behind plastic bottles and other rubbish, some directly thrown into the water resources.

 

Lake Dukan, the biggest lake in Kurdistan, is a favorite picnic destination. It is also used for drinking water, irrigation, and power generation.

 

A group of officials and volunteer environmentalists have started a campaign to clean the water and raise awareness about keeping the Kurdish environment clean.

 

“One of the dangers that faces our water resources is rubbish by the picnickers, by some of them,” Shwan Maaruf, one of the volunteers said. “This unfortunately shows an irresponsible manner.”