“Ardvi-Lori” Initiative Group
78 residents from Ardvi Village, Lori Region, has addressed a letter to Armenian PM Karen Karapetyan against Shekaghbyur project. The copy of the letter has been addressed to RA Territorial Administration and Development Minister Davit Loqyan and Lori Regional Head Arthur Nalbandyan. Ardvi residents' letter addressed to the Armenian President says,
'Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
We, the residents of Ardvi Village, Lori Region, are applying to you with a request to eliminated economic and social development obstacles in Ardvi Village. On 20 December 2016, the five-year-long development program of Ardvi Community for 2017-2021 was approved with the resolution of Ardvi Community Aldermen's Council resolution N 34-N dated on 20 December 2016. After community optimization in 2017 when Ardvi was included in the composition of Odzun Community, this program hasn't been amended and fully complied with the potential and objectives of Ardvi Village. The five-year-long development program of Ardvi Community envisages the development of rural and cultural-historical tourism, construction of a guesthouse near 'St. Hovhan Odzneci' monastery, as well as the construction of summer cottages, guesthouses, pavilions and food points, establishing a milk processing plant.
Development of mining in not included in any development directions of our village, which is also confirmed with the information on Ardvi community placed on the official website of Lori Regional Municipality: 'It has several yields of polymetallic mines, which don't have industrial significance (http://lori.mtad.am/about-communities/479/). The five-year-long development program of Ardvi Community and all our efforts aimed at the implementation of this program will be annulled, in case the geological prospecting of Shekaghbyur gold-polymetallic mine area for 2017-2020 is carried out.
'Miram' LLC has again submitted a project to RA Nature Protection Ministry for the expert assessment to carry out geological prospecting of Shekaghbyur gold-polymetallic mine area for 2017-2020. Under the project, it's planned to carry out geological prospecting in the administrative area of Mghart – 54 ha. Ardvi Village is located in the immediate impact zone of this area, and the drinking and irrigation water flow from this area. Any mining activities can cause irreversible damage to our village. We will get deprived of our living and opportunities to deal with agriculture, cattle breeding, and tourism.
As a result of searching polymetals, water will be contaminated with the elements available in the ore such as gold, silver, copper, bismuth, arsenic, lead etc, which are extremely hazardous for human health and will make water and soil contamination uncontrollable.
Ardvi villagers are against the implementation of Shekaghbyur project, so we are expecting for your support to implement the five-year-long development program of Ardvi Community, which will promote the sustainable development of our village.'
November 30, 2017 at 15:03