EcoLur
What is the role of the Ministry for Emergency States in giving permissions to mining and tialing dump projects in highkly seismic zones? EcoLur had an interview with MES Deputy Minister Haykaram Mkhitaryan on this topic:
- Mr. Mkhitaryan, as it's known there are many mines and tailing dumps in Armenia located in highly seismic zones, for example, Amulsar, Meghrasar, Sotq mines and Tukhmanuk tailing dump. The projects of these tailing dumps undergo expertise at the Nature Protection Ministry. Do you have any participation in the expertise process. Are you asked to provid any opinion in this regard?
- Till the recent years such practice didn't exist – they didn't ask us for any opinion, but in the recent 3-4 years the don't only ask for our opinion, but also our representatives have always attended project development sessions and their opinion have always been taken into consideration. Without Seismic Protection National Service specialists’ opinion, neither project is implemented both in urban development and mining fields.
- What are the principles for issuing an opinion, when, for example, a mine is going to be developed with daily explosions in 10-point seismic zone and what kind of opinions are issued?
- Following this logic we should close down all our mines, as we don’t have any guarantees that a quake will occur tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. The whole world can’t know when and what time the quake will happen. The same with us.
- What do you usually take into consideration when issuing an opinion?
- We are usually guided by less harm to humans and nature. In seismic regard, we can issue an opinion what kind of seismic hazard this particular zone poses. We have maps which show zones according to seismic hazard they pose.
- Is your opinion decisive?
- Yes in urban development, but I can't tell the same for nature protection.
October 14, 2014 at 13:51