Tourism, environmental ministers unveil Dead Sea plan

NIS 750 million plan calls for increasing tourism, harvesting salt; MK Henin praises move, says Dead Sea Works should shoulder costs.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Stas Misezhnikov, Gilad Erdan 311 (photo credit: Dafna Tal)
Stas Misezhnikov, Gilad Erdan 311
(photo credit: Dafna Tal)
Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov and Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan presented an integrated plan for the preservation of the Dead Sea, at a press conference on Monday in Tel Aviv.
The plan includes renewing tourism, salt harvesting and economic development of the area through a dedicated fund of NIS 750 million.
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"The program combines rehabilitation and development of the area and will be submitted for cabinet approval no later than three weeks from today," the tourism minister said.
Chairman of the Knesset Environment and Health Committee MK Dov Henin praised the announced plan, but also called for the cost of the project to be shouldered by the Dead Sea Works factory.
"Dead Sea Works makes huge profits from intensive exploitation of the Dead Sea and the public only receives crumbs," Henin said in a press release. "Imposing the costs of handling environmental consequences of an enterprise must be fully applied under the 'polluter pays' principle."
Henin also announced that his committee would devote a session to the subject next week.