EcoLur
The project of North-South highway construction entered into an active stage. On 15 November the Armenian Government reached a decision about the alienation of 400,842 square meters of agricultural land areas. So far the land areas of 5 communities are alienated and the range of compensation for these land areas is determined – 154 AMD for one square meters. One question remains open: what kind of compensations will be paid to people subject to probable resettlement. But what to do with 15 rivers, gorges, 2 reservoirs and 22 historical-cultural monuments, which are located in the construction zone? As the report of “Center for Bird Lovers” NGO says having conducted this project monitoring, “the land areas cost far more than the mentioned price. In several sections only a part of land areas is alienated, but it’s unclear what to do with the rest. No compensation is planned for the remaining part…apple, apricot and peach orchards are alienated…huge damage is caused to the fauna and flora...”
The main question, who needs this road, is not disclosed. It only says “that the project targets at developing opportunities of transport corridor “North-South” and lays down the reconstruction of Agarak-Kapan-Yerevan-Bavra highway. The loan is ensured by the Asian development Bank. The total amount of the loan is 500 million USD, while the co-financing by the government should make up 462 million USD, that is tax payers will pay almost one million USD for this construction.
November 16, 2012 at 12:16