EcoLur
It’s planned to develop chemical industry in Dilijan National Park. The Armenian Government has reached a decision on developing chemical industry in Dilijan town in the form of soap plant and an enterprise producing cosmetics and perfume. The draft resolution has been submitted by RA Economics Ministry.
The proposal of Economics Ministry has a number of statements needing thorough scrutiny, for example, that the production will be placed in the territory beyond the national park. As we all know Dilijan Town itself is located within the boundaries of the national park and is not an individual unit. Business activities are permitted in the urban zone, which mustn’t jeopardize the ecosystem of the national park.
Nevertheless, when familiarizing with soap industry, we can learn about the wastes, which are not mentioned in the draft resolution in any way. These wastes contain many free fatty acids and many products of their breakdown, as well as iron salts. As a rule, they have sharp smell… Besides, the workshops performing breakdown of fats in autoclaving manner, form toxic wastewater containing zinc. Smelling substances often convey the wastewater disgusting stench, which is absolutely impermissible, if the wasterwater is dumped into the small reservoirs or urban sewage…” (Encyclopedia of oil and gas)
It’s apparent that Dilijan is a resort town and an important site of tourism, which should be restricted from such activities.
In regard with this draft resolution, the Nature Protection Ministry expressed its negative opinion in February 2016: “It’s proposed to withdraw this project out of the circulation, as the aforementioned activities contradict RA Law “On Specially Protected Areas of Nature”.” The proposal of the Ministry was rejected.
June 16, 2016 at 16:58