Baghdad: The Baghdad Environment Directorate, in collaboration with the Rusafa Environmental Police, has launched a crackdown on environmental violations in the Al-Salikh/Tunis neighborhood (600). This initiative comes as a response to numerous citizen complaints about emissions from restaurants and noise from private generators in the area, prompting swift legal action against the offending establishments.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Baghdad Environment Director Sadiq Al-Moussawi revealed that an on-site inspection uncovered a restaurant responsible for emitting excessive smoke from its grilling operations. In response, the restaurant owner committed to installing exhaust fans to mitigate the emissions.

The inspection further identified a private generator facility comprising five generating units that lacked proper soundproofing. Additionally, the facility was found to have unregulated drainage systems and unsecured fuel tanks, posing significant environmental and safety risks.

Al-Moussawi explained that the establishments were mandated to implement several corrective measures, including soundproofing their generators and installing noise-reducing silencers. They were also instructed to secure their generators against potential fire hazards and ensure that fuel tanks are equipped with containment basins to prevent leakage and pollution, thereby safeguarding the local environment.