Water Floods Villages Around Gotvand Dam; Ministry of Energy: 'Compensation Will Be Paid After Review'

Media reports indicate that several villages in northern Khuzestan have been submerged due to the rising water levels of the Gotvand Dam, resulting in damages. However, the state-owned Iran Water and Power Resources Development Company claims that compensation for the houses in these villages was paid '10 years ago.' Ali Yousefi Monjazi, a representative advocating for the residents of several submerged villages, told ILNA news agency that due to 'good rainfall,' the water has exceeded levels seen in previous years, submerging 'farmlands, houses, and livestock pens of several villages.' He noted that after several years of drought, this year 'dozens of hectares of surrounding lands' were cultivated with 'wheat and barley,' and some residents had even set up tents around their fields. He added, 'Suddenly, the water rose so high that residents packed their tents and left the area.' Accordingly, the villages of Paber Aftab, Golzari, Tang Halil, and Sarbisheh in the Ab Mahik region of Lali County, as well as the villages of Talkhab Tajeddin, Par Neveshteh, Cheshmeh Shirin, and Kenar Hashtalak from the Anbar section of Masjed Soleyman County have been submerged due to the 'rising water of the Gotvand Dam,' leading to disputes between residents and government officials. On the other hand, Shahram Mohtasham Khani, the legal officer of the Iran Water and Power Resources Development Company, stated regarding the published images of submerged residential and agricultural areas that in the village of Talkhab Tajeddin, there are '29 residential buildings,' of which 28 are 'uninhabited' and only one is occupied. This official from the Ministry of Energy claimed that 'before the reservoir of the Gotvand Dam was filled,' compensation for 28 residential units was paid in the years 1390 and 1392, adding that 'the payment for one occupied unit was not made due to ownership disputes.' Meanwhile, Ali Yousefi Monjazi mentioned that 'roads have also been submerged, making travel impossible,' stating that the lands and homes of about '50 families' from the surrounding villages, particularly in 'Talkhab Tajeddin and Ab Mahik,' have not yet been acquired by the Ministry of Energy's water company, and currently 'some residents are using boats to travel' and are 'removing their damaged belongings' from their homes. Nevertheless, Shahram Mohtasham Khani acknowledged that in some areas, non-locals, after purchasing lands and demolishing villages by the Ministry of Energy, 'constructed buildings on the reservoir lands without legal permits from the relevant authorities.' Regarding the lands for which compensation has not yet been paid, he stated, 'The affected individuals will be identified by the legal unit of the project, and soon after reviewing the matter, compensation will be paid to them.' The Gotvand Dam has been one of Iran's most controversial water structures for years, facing ownership challenges from residents, and many water experts and even some government officials have deemed its construction 'mistaken and destructive.' Gholamreza Shariati, the former governor of Khuzestan, criticized 'improper dam constructions' in the province, stating that 'before the revolution, there were only two dams, Shahid Abbas Pour and Dez, in the province, which stored five and a half billion cubic meters of water, but now there are more than 16 dams in Khuzestan that store 16 billion cubic meters of water.' A citizen's account of the flooding of villages around the Gotvand Dam in Khuzestan. Ali Nazemi, a university professor, stated: 'The Gotvand Dam is poorly located; saline soil is problematic.' Flood crisis in Iran: Evacuation orders have been issued for at least 9 cities in Khuzestan. The consequences of improper dam constructions in Khuzestan; the Gotvand Dam is a 'ticking time bomb.'