EcoLur
The procedures set by law were not kept while realizing the improvement project of Kapan water supply chain which resulted violation of the norms of public rights. In regard with this The president of “Regional Monitoring Institute” NGO has sent a letter to Mr. Cesar Liorens Alvarez, Asian Development Bank Deputy Country Director, Armenia Resident Mission.The letter says, “Dear Mr. Alvarez, In accordance with the agreement gained during our meeting in Kapan
town, I kindly present to your attention the short analysis of some legal issues related to the implementation of Kapan town water supply system improvement project, conducted by the Armenian Water and Sewerage CJSC by the financial support of the Asian Development Bank. In particular, the legal arguments presented hereafter speak about the failure of the Environmental Impact Assessment necessary for the implementation of the project, as well as the failure to properly organize public hearings, which led to the failure of the overall project.
According to the RA Law on Environmental Impact Expertise (in force from 1995), as well as the new Law on Environmental Impact Assessment and Expertise (in force from July 23, 2014), the conceptions, plans or schemes (mainframe papers) concerning the programs of social-economic, urban issues and other territorial development documents are the subjects for Environmental Impact Assessment and State Environmental Expertise in line with the procedures stipulated by the national legislation and international commitments of Armenia.
In line with the indicated legislation and international commitments (Aarhus Convention, Kiev Protocol, etc.) the public shall be involved in the procedure of environmental decision-making from the very early stage through the public hearings organized in a manner stipulated by the legislation.
Hereby we inform you that mentioned procedural regulations were rudely infringed during the Kapan town water supply system improvement project implementation. As a result, the common law and human rights of local population (public concerned according to the Aarhus
Convention) were violated. The mentioned infringement caused the total failure of the project. The particularities and evidences of the above statement we are ready to present to your attention during the public discussion in Kapan town, which you promised to organize.
Kind regards,
Arshavir Khalapyan
President of “Regional Monitoring Institute” NGO”.
November 19, 2015 at 17:27