ILAM, June 8 (MNA) Ilam, in south west of Iran with more than 80 natural plant and animal habitats, faces growing environmental issues.With 87 per cent of its area as natural environment, Illam province is rich in its capacities to attract natural tourism. Cheerful rivers and wonderful waterfalls, valleys, beautiful and unique caves, sky-kissing mountains, diverse climate, colorful simplicity of wild nature, spectacular vicinity of plain and mountain, the simple honesty of Ilams eye-catching scenery, have placed it as the masterpiece of creation in Iran.
Also natural wetlands and beautiful mountainous terrain in an expanse of 20,000 square kilometers make Ilam one of the most spectacular regions of the country.
According to statistics, 13 per cent of natural environment in Ilam is natural reserved and under supervision by Department of Environment of the province. The province has 125,000 hectares of non-hunting area in Kolak, Tangbina, Bijar and 92,000 hectares in Kabirkouh, Dinarkouh, Manshat and Qalarang, and Khoffash cave.
The province, also called the bride of Zagros, however faces ever-increasing issues which threaten the pristine nature of the province with extinction. One such plight is the piling of the municipality waste and the lack of proper ways of waste management and landfill. Authorities say currently the province produces daily amount of 600 tons of waste, with more than 200 tons of hospital wastes.
80 per cent of the waste produced in Ilam is disposed in unhygienic methods, which posed great danger for public health. Only 3 per cent of waste is recycled.
Gholamhossein Kazemi the head of Department of Environment provincial office told Mehr News that promotion of public culture of protecting the natural resources was necessary to secure protecting of the these resources for the next generations.
Currently, 60 rangers work in protected natural reserves and fight illegal hunters. 25 per cent of the provinces area is reserved, he added.
By Mehr News Agency
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