EcoLur
On 7 July, EcoLur received the photo and video of the Voghji River, which shows how the river had turned into a gray colour. The alarm beater mentioned that gray water had been flowing in the river for around 3 hours caused the by the accident of the tail pipeline of the Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC). “People are irrigating with this water, while it has unpleasant smell,” the alarm beater said.
The representatives of Syunik civil society mentioned that the accidents of the tail pipeline of the Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine have a regular nature and are urging all the competent bodies to be conscious of the urgency of the problem and to demonstrate a relevant behaviour.
In reply to EcoLur’s enquiry, Naira Aghababyan – Head of Information and Public Relations of RA Environmental and Mining Inspection, informed that the inspection employees had visited the scene and found out that at 7:15 a.m. on 7 July an accident occurred at the solder joint of the tails pipeline of the Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine. No soil pollution has been detected. The solder of the tail pipeline had been carried out within 5 minutes, while the reloading of the tailing pipe lasted 15 minutes.
Administrative proceeding has been instigated, in the frames of which the water of the Voghji River was samples for lab analysis. The inspection will provide additional information about the findings of the administrative proceedings and Voghji River water sampling lab analysis.
This material has been prepared within “Mining-Impacted Communities – Full Participants in EITI Process'” project implemented by EcoLur with the USAID support within the frames of “Engaged Citizenry for Responsible Governance” project implemented by Transparency International Anticorruption Center.
This article is made possible by the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
July 08, 2019 at 18:38