EcoLur
The incompliance of at least one criterion to state standards and norms in the expertise of new tailing dump construction project by Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine will be an obstacle for its construction. It’s what Territorial Administration and Emergency State Minister Armen Yeritsyan said in the letter in reply to addressed by MP Edmon Marukyan to Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan.
On 9 April MP Edmon Marukyan addressed an open letter to Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan based on the letter of 195 Mets Ayrum community residents dated on 23 March 2015. When presenting the Armenian PM Mets Ayrum resident’ complaint against the construction of a new tailing dump in the administrative area of Mets Ayrum Edmon Marukyan particularly wrote, “Mets Ayrum community residents are demanding to stop the process of tailing dump operation, unless “Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine” CJSC solves the problems with reclaiming and safety of old tailing dumps, as well as to respect the opinions and participatory governance principle of the community residents, to annul resolution 7 A on changing the status of land area, which had been adopted without taking into consideration the opinion of community residents and to return the pastures.
Taking into consideration the aforementioned and guided by Article 5(1(f)) of RA Law “On Regulation of National Assembly” I request to examine the problems raised by Mets Ayrum residents in their letter and to solve them in the most admissible way for the residents.”
In the reply letter addressed to MP TAMES Minister Armen Yeritsyan informed, “Upon PM’s assignment, the construction of a new tailing dump by “Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine” CJSC presented in the open letter of a group of Mets Ayrum Community residents, Lori Reion, which was addressed to Armenian PM, National Assembly factions and MPs, was discussed with Nature Protection Ministry, Lori Regional Municipality and Mets Ayrum Rural Municipality. At the same time, it’s proposed Tchotchka and Mets Ayrum community heads to follow up ensuring the expertise of the planned tailing dump in line with RA Law “On Environmental Impact Assessment and Expertise” and the reclaiming of the operating tailing dump according to the letter of Nature Protection Ministry 2/02.2/2174-14 dated on 23.08.2014.
The construction project of a new tailing dump will be submitted for a number of specialized expertise assessments. The adversary effect on population and environment and the effectiveness of planned measures will be evaluated based on urban development, environmental, sanitary-hygienic and other expertise.
The incompliance of even one criterion to state standards and norms will hinder the construction of the tailing dump. Reclaiming the operating tailing dump can’t be carried out until a new tailing dump is constructed. What about reclaiming the closed tailing dumps owned by “Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine” CJSC we would like to inform that one ha of “Nazik” tailing dump was reclaimed and greened with the technology proposed and developed by Lori Regional Municipality specialists still in 2012.”
In his interview with EcoLur “Community Union and Support Center” NGO President, Mets Ayrum Aldermen’s Council Oleg Dulgaryan said that both the community residents, and the environmentalists, and NGOs will work in this direction and prove the fact that a tailing dump mustn’t be constructed there.
May 21, 2015 at 16:06