Nestled in the heart of Iran, Isfahan stands as a city steeped in history and culture, renowned for its breathtaking architecture and vibrant landscapes.
However, amidst the splendor of its ancient monuments lies a pressing environmental crisis that threatens the very foundations of its educational institutions.
Over the years, Isfahan has grappled with the alarming issue of land subsidence, exacerbating the challenges faced by its educational system.
This crisis, rooted in both historical neglect and contemporary environmental mismanagement, has cast a shadow over the city’s schools, jeopardizing the safety and future of its one million students.
The once-stable ground beneath Isfahan’s schools now trembles with an unsettling reality – land subsidence. Manifesting through visible cracks in the ceilings, walls, prayer rooms, and stairways of educational facilities, this phenomenon has emerged as a major crisis for Isfahan’s educational system.
The struggle for adequate educational space has intensified, with one million students affected in a province where a staggering 10,000 classrooms out of 30,000 are over 40 years old, constructed without adherence to special regulations.
Isfahan officials reveal a dire situation, indicating that out of the 10,000 dilapidated classrooms, 3,000 urgently require demolition.
Despite the School Renovation Organization’s efforts to implement a long-term plan for rebuilding these schools, the rapid pace of land subsidence in Isfahan has outpaced official strategies.
This alarming reality has resulted in the complete destruction of some schools, prompting urgent reconstruction and improvement efforts in others.
The educational districts of Isfahan city, particularly Districts 4, 5, and 6, bear the brunt of ground subsidence. Additionally, the phenomenon extends its impact to other educational districts within this sprawling metropolis, affecting schools in Barkhar, Pirbakran, Kashan, Aran, and Bidgol to varying degrees.
An unsettling toll emerges as 40 schools in Isfahan province report damages due to land subsidence, with six schools surpassing dangerous limits, necessitating immediate evacuation orders.
Last year alone witnessed the involvement of 34 schools in ground subsidence, highlighting the escalating severity of the issue.
Structural analysis reveals that the material structures of old schools experience a maximum subsidence of 2.5 cm annually, a rate four times higher than the permitted limit.
The northern region of Isfahan city bears a disproportionate burden, with Imam Khomeini Street, Khaneh neighborhood, Razmandegan Street, Kaveh town, and Khorasgan grappling with a subsidence rate reaching 15 cm per year in Komeshcheh Borkhar.
The roots of Isfahan’s land subsidence trace back to 1967 when the Isfahan-Borkhar plain was declared off-limits due to the threat of subsidence.
Despite this, the illegal extraction of underground resources persisted, driven by political and economic motivations.
Statistics reveal the staggering reality of 61,422 authorized and unauthorized wells in Isfahan province, annually depleting 2.52 billion cubic meters of water from underground sources.
In recent years, the consequences of the regime’s drought, unchecked harvesting, and the non-replenishment of underground water tables have intensified, transforming land subsidence into a complex crisis in Isfahan province.
As this ancient city grapples with the environmental fallout, urgent interventions are imperative to safeguard its educational institutions and secure a sustainable future for its aspiring students.
