EcoLur
While there are tense debates around Amoulsar project, all the contradictions start revealing which our national policy is rich in. This is when the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand does. It has already been found out that the government issued a license for the development of Amoulsar mine, but it forgot that in 2008 the government decision approved development program for Jermuk town as center for resort zone. The border between this zone lies 2-3 km far from Amoulsar mountain. Then the government turned out to forget about another strategic program – Developing network of specially protected territories confirmed still in 2002. In the frames of this program there was a plan to set up Jermuk National Park. WWF-Armenia Head Karen Manvelyan tells, “Jermuk is surrounded with three specially protected territories – wildlife preserves. They can be united under one department and set up a national park…We have the government plan on founding a national park. We carried out initial assessment in very tight deadlines – whether or not it was possible to set up a park, and the reply was positive. We started examining the economic situation in communities, for example, how much taxes go to the state budget from Jermuk resort. Then we compared with the income received from mining industry. Under estimates, the resort brings 5 million USD to the budget, while Amoulsar project promises to bring 20 million AMD. But the Amoulsar project will close down in 15 years, while Jermuk can make income still 100 years and more. The program will be soon submitted to Nature Protection Ministry.”
June 12, 2012 at 17:52