An Iranian parliament member states that most of the mountains in 'Kelardasht' in Mazandaran province have been sold. Mehrdad Bavaj Lahouti, the representative of 'Langarud' in the parliament, warned on Friday, December 5, about the spread of the phenomenon of 'mountain theft' in Mazandaran province in an interview with the 'House of the Nation' website. Bavaj Lahouti expressed regret over the sale of mountains in northern Iran, stating, 'Mountains are considered public property, but they are easily sold.' He added, 'How and in what manner this is done is a matter of discussion and question,' but 'since the police have intervened in this matter, we have witnessed less mountain theft.' This parliament member also stated, 'Exploitation of mines should be carried out with environmental permits and should not lead to mountain selling.' On June 30, 2016, Nasser Mehrdadi, the director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Mazandaran, announced that the mines in this province are involved in 'mountain selling.' According to media reports in Iran, excavations, mountain carving, and digging caused by legal and illegal mines and crushers have created subsidence in the slopes of the mountains and natural resource lands of Mazandaran. The sale of mountains in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces for the purpose of building villas and recreational centers is another phenomenon that has been prevalent in these provinces for years. In April 2015, Qobad Afshar, the head of the Land Affairs Organization, named Mazandaran as one of the three provinces at risk of destruction and illegal construction. Afshar stated that 200,000 hectares of land in northern Iran are at risk of changing use. He cited 'inappropriate villa construction' and 'the tourism industry' as two factors contributing to the destruction of nature and lands in Mazandaran. Afshar mentioned that currently 'twice the number of residential units in Mazandaran has been built as villas, none of which have led to employment or increased per capita income for the people of the province.' Some officials and environmental advocates say that the main problem leading to the phenomena of land grabbing, sea grabbing, and mountain theft is 'weak oversight of excessive construction,' 'lack of transparent management,' 'mistakes in the revenue generation methods of municipalities,' and 'excessive issuance of various permits by some organizations.'
Warning from a Member of Parliament Regarding 'Mountain Theft' in Mazandaran
A member of the Iranian parliament has raised concerns about the widespread sale of mountains in Mazandaran province, particularly in Kelardasht, which he describes as public property. He highlights the need for environmental permits for mining activities and points to a lack of oversight and management as contributing factors to this issue.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A member of the Iranian parliament has raised alarms about the sale of mountains in Mazandaran province, particularly in Kelardasht, which he argues should be considered public property. He emphasizes the need for better oversight and environmental permits for mining activities to prevent further exploitation.
- Mountains in Mazandaran are reportedly being sold for development, leading to environmental degradation.
- Weak oversight and excessive construction permits are cited as key issues contributing to this phenomenon.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
In Iran, land management and environmental protection are critical issues, with ongoing debates about the balance between development and conservation. The phenomenon of 'mountain theft' reflects broader challenges in governance and resource management.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%