MES Expert: SHPP Violated Hydrogeological State of Gegharot River

The change in the colour of the Gegharot River is an environmental problem and not a sign of a quake: such a conclusion was made by the specialists of “Seismic Protection Service” Agency of the Ministry for Emergency States after studying the causes of the change in the chemical composition of the river.

Reminder: the mass media beat an alarm signal on the change in the colour of the Gegharot River. It has completely become brown. Under the residents of Aragats Village, Aragatsotn Region, it’s toxic and not usable in any way. The residents condition such a state of the river with the SHPPs constructed on the river.

Based on this alarm signal, “Seismic Protection Service” Agency Geology Department Head Rafayel Harutyunyan and Chief Specialist Valeri Khondkaryan were sent to Aragats Village from 8 to 9 May.

“Seismic Protection Service” Agency Head Hrachya Petrosyan clarified in his interview with EcoLur, “The river has iron manifestations, which generates rust and naturally changes the color of the river making it brown. So far the river was able for self-cleaning, but now the SHPP has violated the hydrogeological state of the river, and the river can’t clean itself anymore.”

In this regard, EcoLur has also applied to Nature Protection Ministry, “As soon as we received the alarm signal, the Aragatsotn Territorial Division of State Environmental Inspection arrived at the scene. As a result of the studies, other business structures polluting the river haven’t been detected, nevertheless, we can’t say that the SHPP cause pollution, as it’s flooding season now,” said Armen Vardanyan, Head of Information and Public Relations Department of Nature Protection Ministry. He also noted that the Ministry will take measures only after professional arguments.

It should be mentioned that “Gegharot” and “Aragats-1” SHPP are constructed on Gegharot River, which, under EcoLur’s Ecological Risk Model, caused the river to be in critical condition. The Public Service Regulatory Committee has also issued licenses for “Alpiakan-1” and “Lusarpi” SHPPs. If these SHPPs are constructed, the river will find itself in disastrous condition.