Geghanush Tailing Dump: Cancer Diseases and Zero Attention
EcoLur
Syunik Region, Geghanush Village: “During 35 years all the people living up the river died of cancer diseases,” Geghanush villager Amalya Martirosyan is complaining, who has been working as an obstetrician for 35 years in the village.
Geghanush tailing dump owned by Kapan Ore Dressing Combine is developed in the administrative area of Geghanush Village, where the industrial tails of the combine are accumulated containing heavy metals. The villagers relate the poor ecological state of the village with the tailing dump.
“We have already voiced the problem that the number of diseases is increasingly growing in the village. In our village we have never recorded a case when conscript soldiers undergo medical checkup and are recognized as non-suitable. In these 4-5 years we have 3 or 4 such cases, women can’t have babies, they have cancer diseases and they already have cancer diseases at the age of 50, 52 and 60,” Geghanush Community Head Ivan Kostandyan told EcoLur, “I can’t say exactly it’s because of the tailing dump. It’s what we think, but we have Health Minister and environmentalists and many other people, whose job is to provide us with the information. We, Geghanush villager, shall have regular medical checkups.”
Geghanush villagers also mentioned that they have lost their orchards because of tailing dump development. “Currently we can’t get any harvest, because of this tailing dump,” Geghanush villagr Arthur Kostandyan said.
“We used to have orchards on the bank of the river, near the tailing dump: all the trees have dried out…” another villager said and added, “I don’t want any compensation and I don’t want any tails any longer.”
Early this year Geghanush villagers send a letter with 184 signatures to that time administration of the combine, “Dundee Precious Metals Kapan” Company demanding to compensate for damages. But as Kapan Combine already has a new owner – Polymetal International, the destiny of these negotiations remains unknown for the residents. “Let them insure us, as we breathe in this air,” community head said, “I’m not warning today’s administration, jus we will be fighting for it.”
