In wake of the recent Greenpeace report, which listed Jounieh among the world's most polluted cities, an extraordinary meeting was held at the Regency Palace in Adma earlier on Saturday in the presence of Caretaker Water and Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil and Keserwan Deputies Shemil Roukoz, Roger Azar, Ne'mat Frem and Farid el-Khazen, alongside the mayors of Jounieh Bay district.

Addressing the conferees, Abi Khalil referred to a report published by Greenpeace based on satellite images showing the deterioration of air quality in Jounieh and its environment. 

"This issue is not a new matter in our coastal cities, and part of it is the geographical reality that results in building-up of polluted air in these cities with mountains behind them, in addition to several sources...There are reports that the proportion of pollution during public holidays and weekends decreases by 28 percent, but the power plant does not stop in the holidays...Hence, a third of the pollution comes from the transport sector," Abi Khalil explained.

"On the subject of emission, we started a system of treatment of the fuel before burning, and this led to the reduction of emissions to become within the standards of the European Union," he went on. 

However, Abi Khalil indicated that the Zouk plant is not alone the source of pollution, but there are several other sources.

"We have been following-up on this issue for a long time, and we were never indifferent. Our projects have faced a lot of obstacles and obstruction, but God willing, in cooperation with the Keserwan-Ftouh deputies and mayors, we can work for the benefit of this region and improve its living conditions," Abi Khalil reassured.