According to the Mehrnews, the shortage of human resources is one of the serious challenges facing environmental protection in Semnan province. This issue, as stated by the provincial director of environmental protection, has left a significant portion of the organizational capacities of this agency without the necessary personnel, complicating the monitoring and protection of natural areas.

Saeed Youssefpour, in an interview with the Mehrnews, emphasized that the most critical challenge for the environment in Semnan province is the lack of staff. He noted that the Turan biosphere, which spans 1,500 hectares, is monitored by only 12 rangers, a situation that is truly regrettable.

Referring to the status of human resources in the province’s environmental sector, he added that over the past year, four new personnel have been recruited; however, in contrast, 14 environmental staff members have retired, with four of them retiring this year alone from the Shahrud environmental office.

The director of environmental protection in Semnan province stated that a request for additional personnel has been communicated to both provincial and national authorities. He mentioned that this year there were plans to utilize soldiers as part of the workforce, but the circumstances arising from the war have caused this opportunity to be lost.

Youssefpour highlighted that they have received authorization to hire personnel for the environmental sector in Semnan province, specifying that they have been granted permission to recruit 30 individuals. However, he noted that their request remains pending with the country’s administrative and employment organization, and no action has yet been taken to recruit these personnel.

He continued by stating that a special hiring authorization to compensate for the shortage of environmental staff in Semnan province was obtained from the National Environmental Protection Council, but the administrative and employment organization has declared that it can only hire personnel based on the regulations of the seventh development plan.

The director of environmental protection in Semnan province revealed that 62 percent of the positions in this directorate are vacant, indicating that there are no available personnel to fill these roles, and that there has been no negligence on the part of the Environmental Protection Organization; they have pursued the issue of staff shortages whenever possible.

Youssefpour asserted that environmental protection has consistently been overlooked, stressing that the prevailing perspective on environmental issues needs to change. He pointed out the status of some environmental patrol stations in the province, noting that, for instance, two of their stations in Khosh-Yilagh, Shahrud, are completely inactive.

The director of environmental protection in Semnan province also addressed the shortage of human resources in the human environment department, stating that this department, responsible for monitoring pollution, contaminants, industries, and related matters throughout the province, is managed by only four personnel, including one manager and three specialists.

Youssefpour remarked that these issues represent a portion of the challenges faced by the Semnan province’s environmental sector regarding the lack of human resources.