Penalties for violations against the Nile River will be intensified to reach one year in jail and fining, the government has said, pointing to an unprecedented surge in legal violations at the river over the past few years.
Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Hossam Moghazy said in an interview with satellite channel al-Arabiya that the past three years have witnessed violations against the river unseen in 30 years, standing at 8,500 cases across the republic.
He noted that 4,707 violations out of those were cleared in 2014.
Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb signed on Monday what he called as a document pledging to protect the river from violations and pollution.
