TEHRAN A group of Majlis deputies here Tuesday called on President Mohammad Khatami to deal seriously with the catastrophic consequences of the drought currently ravaging Sistan-Baluchestan Province in southeastern Iran.
In a letter read out at the Parliament, 149 signatories called for allocation of a substantial credit to solve the problems facing the people in this province.
"Given the one-hundred-percent damages caused to farmland by the drought which has also taken its toll in livestock, the credit allocated has been little and would not compensate for the damages," the letter read in part.
"Although the drought has affected the entire country, the situation in this province is more serious and critical." They pointed out that the people in the province earn their living on agriculture and animal husbandry, both of which have been hard hit by the drought.
Unprecedented drought has hit 18 of Iran's 28 provinces.
A United Nations fact-finding mission released a report, about a month ago, on the extent and effects of this year's drought in Iran.
The report described the drought as the worst' in 30 years, resulting in severe damage to the country's agriculture and livestock and displacing millions of people.
It further said that drought which has hit the country for two consecutive years has severely devastated the livelihood of residents of 18 of its 28 provinces and displaced over half of the country's 60 million population.
(IRNA)