When Problem of Emergency Riverway of Gyumri River To Be Solved: Responses by Governmental Agencies

The Water Committee of RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure responded to a letter from EcoLur about the emergency condition of the Gyumri riverway.

In his letter N 02.1/07/3315-2024 Head of Water Committee, Varazdat Mkrtchyan, states that "In response to your letter dated on June 27, 2024, regarding the pollution and contamination of the Gyumri River, we inform you that the works related to the restoration and improvement of the ecological state, carried out by RA Water Committee in 2024, are not included. However, considering the importance of the issue, it will be considered in future programs through research and evaluations. At the same time, we would like to advise that the issue of cleaning the Gyumri River from industrial pollution is not within the authority of the Water Committee of the Republic of Armenia."

Reminder: in its letter "EcoLur" Informational NGO stated that it received an alarm from Gyumri residents that the underpass of Akhuryan's tributary Gyumri River is in danger of collapsing, which could have disastrous consequences for Gyumri.

According to the residents, when the river overflowed, the city center was filled with mud, even the carriages could not pass.  That's why the six-meter-wide, four-meter-high and 900-meter-lomg Gyumri riverway was built in 1907 with public funds, so that the river could not be overflowed. It became Gyumri's sidewalk and garbage dump. Residents pour garbage into the river, there is no collector in the whole of Gyumri's leftover district, all sewage lines fill into the river. The riverway passes through the old historical center of Gyumri, through the central square and past the churches. Now the riverway is filled with garbage. In some parts the side walls of the riverway have been broken down, but the top cover has been left hanging in the air.

“If there was a collapse, a significant part of the central, historic part of the city would be waterlogged. It is necessary to reconstruct the ground with capital, clean it of garbage,” the residents said. They noted that Gyumri Municipality is not able to solve the problem alone with its own efforts.

EcoLur asked RA Ministry of Internal Affairs to provide information about the Ministry's measures aimed at solving the problem and here is the response:

1. Margaryan, Director of "Territorial Service of Seismic Protection" of RA Ministry of Internal Affairs, informed with his letter N96/1141 dated on June 13, 2024, "I would like to advise that the rescue service of RA Ministry of Internal Affairs and relevant specialists of Gyumri Municipality have carried out observation studies from the 1st lane of Rustaveli Street to the end of Abovyan Street along the Gyumri River in the downtown. As a result of studies, it was found that the above-mentioned river, which is also used as a sewer, is filled with household waste, and near the Church of the Holy Sign, the river passes through a closed section and there are half-ruined parts of the roof. The stream passing through the end of Abovyan street of the town, as a flood channel, passes through an open section, which is also filled with household waste.

Considering the importance of the issue, the rescue service of RA Ministry of Internal Affairs turned to the Water Committee in order to provide a priority solution to the issue."

July 18, 2024 at 16:04