City Council Member: Tehran's Conditions Have Passed the Stage of Social Damage

Mohammad Haqani, head of the Environment Committee of Tehran City Council, states that "Tehran's conditions have passed the stage of social damage and have reached a stage of warning, alert, and social crisis." In an interview with ILNA news agency on Sunday, April 8, he noted that "the population of Tehran was supposed to reach 10 million by 2025, while today the population in Tehran during the day exceeds this amount," emphasizing that "the natural biological resources of Tehran have been exhausted, and the backbone of Tehran cannot bear it; Tehran is a city on the brink of collapse and death." Regarding beggars, homeless individuals, and addicts, Mohammad Haqani indicated that the law assigns the responsibility for these issues to the Welfare Organization, stressing that Tehran has reached a social crisis stage. He did not consider the municipality responsible for addressing the issues of beggars and the homeless, describing it as a structural and foundational issue. He stated: "In the law, the matters concerning beggars, the homeless, and addicts are not the responsibility of the municipality, and the municipality has no legal obligation in this regard; addressing these issues falls under the duties of the Welfare Organization." This member of the City Council also pointed out that "providing shelter, clothing, and food for these individuals yields no results," adding that "they need to be empowered and provided with job opportunities, and subsequently require housing and shelter." He emphasized that "putting addicts and the homeless in welfare conditions and then releasing them back into the city after a while is a mistake, and the only result of this approach is an increase in this population in Tehran." According to the head of the Environment Committee of the City Council, if this method is adopted, "people with these conditions will come to Tehran from all cities to take advantage of the facilities provided to them in Tehran." He further noted that placing these individuals in neighborhoods and releasing them before resolving their issues has caused dissatisfaction, concern, and complaints among the people, stating: "These individuals should be housed in areas outside the cities because they need to be isolated, and after resolving their issues, we should focus on their rehabilitation and employment." Mr. Haqani mentioned that "currently, people are dissatisfied with the establishment of Baharan complexes in the neighborhoods, and we have received numerous complaints in this regard," adding: "because addicts do not fit the neighborhood fabric, and according to the people, these individuals are released into the neighborhoods in the morning and continue their undesirable actions, and at night they are housed in Baharan complexes." Previously, Habibollah Masoudi-Farid, Deputy for Social Affairs of the Welfare Organization of Iran, stated in September 2015 that there are 15,000 to 17,000 homeless individuals in the country. According to this official, one percent of these homeless individuals are children, and 5 to 10 percent are women. The cultural deputy of Tehran Municipality also recently stated that the number of homeless women has increased compared to the past. The Deputy for Social Services of the Welfare, Services, and Social Participation Organization of Tehran Municipality announced in May of last year that 3,000 homeless individuals are collected from the streets of Tehran every night. "All attractions are concentrated in Tehran." Another part of this City Council member's remarks focused on examining Tehran's resources and the expectations of the people from this city. Mr. Haqani emphasized that "more than 30 percent of the national income and 40 percent of the country's trade are in Tehran, where the most universities and factories are located," stating: "homeless individuals, marginalized people, and addicts are also our citizens and have the right to use the resources of the city and the country." According to the head of the Environment Committee of the City Council, "all attractions are concentrated in Tehran, which results in an abundance of population in Tehran." This City Council member concluded by stating that "we are the representatives of the people, not the representatives of the government or the municipality," emphasizing: "Every Tehranian pays 6 million tomans directly and indirectly as charges each year, meaning a family of five pays 30 million tomans annually, and in return, they expect a quality and beautiful city."