Latest news with #ZhyarJalal
Rudaw Net
30-06-2025
- General
- Rudaw Net
Erbil official says nobody signed up for stray dog collection offer
Also in Kurdistan First batch of PKK fighters to disarm soon: Sources Kurdistan Region confirms 7th case of Crimean-Congo fever Duhok potato farmer honored as first in Iraq Yazidi victim of ISIS atrocity reunited with family A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An initiative in Erbil province to promote the collection and relocation of stray dogs to shelters has been futile as nobody has signed a contract offered by authorities that pays people per captured dog, a local official said on Monday. Authorities in Erbil launched a campaign last month to pay citizens 3,000 Iraqi dinars (about $2) per stray dog collected in an effort to counter the city's stray population. 'This decision was an opportunity for employment for citizens and to speed up the process of collecting dogs, but no one has made a contract with us,' Zhyar Jalal, head of Erbil's services and environmental protection directorate, told Rudaw. However, Jalal said that the dog collection process is 'going very well' with 17,000 strays captured, adding that the directorate's teams collect about 50 dogs daily, and 7,500 have been sterilized. An estimated 31,000 stray dogs exist in Erbil, half of which are kept in shelters while the other half remain outside, according to statistics provided by Jalal. After authorities announced the contract offer, many people and environmental advocates expressed concern over the potential for abuse during the campaign. A stray dog shelter was built in Erbil in 2023 at a cost of over 480 million dinars (around $320,000). It is located on the Erbil-Gwer road. The high number of stray dogs in Kurdistan Region cities remains a long-standing concern, with population control efforts often facing criticism from animal rights organizations. Dog shelters in Erbil and Zakho have been reported to suffer from overcrowding and a lack of food, leading to poor conditions and many of the animals dying. Violence against stray dogs is rife in the Kurdistan Region, with the animals often considered a menace and a public health risk. They are commonly shooed away, beaten, hit with sticks, and killed by cars and gunshots. Solin Hamadamin contributed to this report.
Rudaw Net
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Over 16,000 stray dogs collected in Erbil so far: Official
Also in Kurdistan Festival showcases traditional Kurdish attires in Zakho PKK claims responsibility for drone attacks targeting Peshmerga in Duhok province Drought, conflict, migration: Kurdistan's new challenge – the climate crisis President Barzani, EU ambassador discuss fostering collaboration A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - More than 16,000 stray dogs have been collected by authorities in Erbil province since efforts to control the city's stray dog population intensified, a local official said on Thursday. 'So far, we have collected more than 16,000 stray dogs, and approximately 6,000 dogs have been neutered. Those that are neutered are released later and the process will continue until all dogs are collected,' Zhyar Jalal, head of Erbil's services and environmental protection directorate, told Rudaw. Jalal denied rumors about the campaign to collect stray dog halting due to budgetary concerns. 'These rumors are far from true. Daily, around 40 to 50 dogs are being collected,' he said. A stray dog shelter was built in Erbil in 2023 at a cost of over 480 million dinars (around $320,000). It is located on the Erbil-Gwer road. The high number of stray dogs in Kurdistan Region cities remains a long-standing concern, with population control efforts often facing criticism from animal rights organizations. Dog shelters in Erbil and Zakho have been reported to suffer from overcrowding and a lack of food, leading to poor conditions and many of the animals dying. Violence against stray dogs is rife in the Kurdistan Region, with the animals often considered a menace and a public health risk. They are commonly shooed away, beaten, hit with sticks, and killed by cars and gunshots.
Rudaw Net
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Children under ten scavenging in Erbil landfills: Source
Also in Kurdistan KDP, PUK reach final draft to form upcoming cabinet: KRG Deputy PM NGO blames polygamy for murder of Erbil family Two Bangladeshis arrested in Erbil for staging fake kidnapping Rare zebra-horse hybrid born at Erbil Zoo A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A garbage truck driver alleged on Tuesday that children under the age of ten are working as informal waste pickers and scavengers at the Kani Qirzhala sub-district landfills, west of Erbil. 'There are children aged four to ten working there. We are afraid they might fall under the garbage piles and we cannot do our jobs because of them. The children collect and search for [valuable] things [they can trade off] for money,' the truck driver told Rudaw. For his part, the head of Erbil's services and environmental protection Zhyar Jalal told Rudaw that despite blocking the main entrance, people still find ways to enter the landfills. 'Due to the absence of a committee overseeing these junkyards, everyone can enter the garbage landfills,' Jalal told Rudaw on Tuesday. Ahmed Mohammed, the spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Board of Environment, mentioned that police could be dispatched to the landfills through the Erbil governor's office. However, he suggested that the Region's municipalities ministry build high walls around the garbage sites to prevent entry. Meanwhile, Jalal stressed that preventing children from entering the landfills has been a challenge. 'How many police officers should we dispatch and for how long? It is a bit complicated,' he elaborated. Jalal also noted that a recycling plant will soon begin operations in Erbil, where all waste will be processed and 'nothing will remain there [at the landfills].' Importantly, a professor at the Erbil Medical University, warned in an interview with Rudaw that 'landfills are a breeding ground for diseases.' Dr. Sherwan Mohammed asserted that 'those working in the landfills must use protective equipment.' The uncollected wastes at the Kani Qirzhala landfills are either buried or burned, releasing dangerous toxins and greenhouse gases such as methane into the atmosphere. Residents of nearby areas have repeatedly complained to government officials that they cannot use air conditioning in their homes, especially during the summer season, because of the overwhelming odors. Erbil's trash has been collected and buried in Kani Qirzhala's garbage site since 2003.
