Iran to fixate 150,000 hectares of sand dunes by March 2013

TEHRAN, June 7 (MNA) – 150,000 hectares of sand dunes will be stabilized in the current Iranian year which will end on March 20, 2013, the director of the Environmental Protection Organization told reporters on Wednesday. Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh said during the previous calendar year (March 2011-March 2012) the Forestry Organization and the Oil Ministry stabilized 100,000 hectares of sand dunes. Mohammadizadeh said according to the Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2015) 500,000 hectares of sand dunes had to be fixated but it has been reduced to only 150,000 hectares due to shortage of funds.