When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

You've reached your limit of one free article.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime .

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Exclusive International news coverage

Ad-free experience NEW

Weekly digital Magazine NEW

9 daily & weekly Newsletters

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Free trial

30-days free access, then $2.90
per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
blog

Tehran Sewage Kills Two Million Fish

Tehran Sewage Kills Two Million Fish

Some "two million fish" were found dead and floating in a water reserve outside Tehran, possibly poisoned by untreated sewage that had been seeping in for months, the semi-official ISNA agency reported Wednesday.

Mohsen Showkati, head of the environmental office of the district of Reyy where the Fashafuyeh dam was located, blamed waste waters from the nearby Vavan estate, which lacks sewage systems. Its treatment facilities were only "60% complete," because of budget shortfalls, he said.

Showkati said the dam was used for aquaculture, irrigation and provided water for livestock, but was also connected to traditional wells. Its waters, he added, were now entirely polluted and "useless."

Showkati revealed that the Vavan estate "previously mixed its sewage with a water canal," which diluted the dirty waters flowing indirectly into Fashafuyeh. "Recently with the interruption of this water canal, raw sewage has entered directly ... causing an environmental calamity in the area."

Authorities say they had cleared "30 tons" of dead fish from the lake, with legal action expected against local administrators.

Sewage treatment s still largely undeveloped in Iran, with the capital only beginning to install systems in the late 1980s or later. It is unclear where progress stands even as the city continues to grow beyond eight million residents.

Beside sewage, Iran has a rudimentary waste disposal system, consisting basically of dumping trash underground. A deputy-head of the state Environmental Protection Organization, Sa'id Motessadi was cited as saying on April 22 just the country's coastal provinces — on the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf — produced 14,000 tons of trash every day, of which only 10% was separated at source. The vast majority was buried he said, with a consequent shortage of dumping grounds in coastal areas, the daily Shahrvand reported.

— Ahmad Shayegan


(photo of Tehran by Ninara)

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Society

Is Disney's "Wish" Spreading A Subtle Anti-Christian Message To Kids?

Disney's new movie "Wish" is being touted as a new children's blockbuster to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary. But some Christians may see the portrayal of the villain as God-like and turning wishes into prayers as the ultimate denial of the true message of Christmas.

photo of a kid running out of a church

For the Christmas holiday season?

Joseph Holmes

Christians have always had a love-hate relationship with Disney since I can remember. Growing up in the Christian culture of the 1990s and early 2000s, all the Christian parents I knew loved watching Disney movies with their kids – but have always had an uncomfortable relationship with some of its messages. It was due to the constant Disney tropes of “follow your heart philosophy” and “junior knows best” disdain for authority figures like parents that angered so many. Even so, most Christians felt the benefits had outweighed the costs.

That all seems to have changed as of late, with Disney being hit more and more by claims from conservatives (including Christian conservatives) that Disney is pushing more and more radical progressive social agendas, This has coincided with a steep drop at the box office for Disney.

Keep reading...Show less

The latest