EcoLur
The communities located next to “Dilijan” National Park, Tavush Region, can’t conform to the ban to cut down the forest. On the eve of the winter the road to forest is most desirable. Unlike other near-forest communities, the communities next to the national park are not entitled to use free-of-charge 8 cum of fallen deadwood, which the residents consider as unfair. If to take into consideration that no alternative fuel is provided to the population, here “national park” and “people” conflict starts.
ENPI EAST FLEG 2 expert group visited Haghartsin and Gosh communities next to “Dilijan” National Park to meet with the villagers and to get familiarized with their problems.
Haghartsin: “Village is Starving”
Haghartsin village with over 4000 population doesn’t have either developed cattle breeding or agriculture. The main problems are connected with irrigation system and product realization market. The community pastures are few and degraded. Though Haghartsin Monastery Complex is well known, tourism is not developed here either. The main source of living is the money sent from Russia, as people say. Nevertheless, villagers got deprived of this income because of decrease in Russian ruble exchange rate. According to a Haghartsin villager, the village is starving, as all villagers have taken out loans, and there is no way out. Winter adds cold to the problem of hunger.
“One family needs over 10 cum of firewood. We naturally want to get free-of-charge fallen deadwood, but they don’t give us. People use gas little, as they can’t afford it,” Haghartsin School Head said.
Still last year the residents blocked the state highway running through Haghartsin community, as the new administration of the national park banned to take out firewood from the forest. “Last year there was a strike for wood, as wood was not allowed to be sold, but the police came and arrested all,” a Haghartsin villager complained. According to Tavush Regional Municipality Environmental Department Head Samvel Gevorgyan, the solution to the problem is to decrease gas and electricity prices.
Gosh: “Our Village Has No Good Future”
Poverty, unemployment and emigration…It’s the picture of Gosh village with 1200 population. This year gas supply works were launched in the village, but as the village head and villagers mentioned nobody is going to heat their houses with gas, as they can’t afford it. Village Head Gevorg Amirkhanyan says the village annually needs 2000-2500 cum of firewood. “The future of our village is not good, as it’s forbidden to cut down forest, people cut down branches of their own trees to cook meal. Last year we bought a permit for 5 cum and tried to live with it,” Gosh villagers complained.
“This issue was discussed several times, so as our villagers could use this free-of-charge 8 cum of fallen deadwood. They refused us. Tavush region is divided to two parts: one part can free use this free-of-charge 8 cum of fallen deadwood, the other part can’t… It’s absurd: neighboring villages, one can use, the other can’t. We complain through the regional head and president to allow us to take 5 cum of firewood. Now even that much fallen deadwood is not available,” Gosh School Head said, “Villagers always had this problem and it escalates day by day. Price increases leads to the deterioration of the social condition of people and they will run to forest to steal wood. Wood is strictly controlled, if you get caught, you will be imposed huge fines – here we have big problems. How to solve them? Children look out of the windows and see forests, but they are cold at home…Naturally we should take care of forests, but first of all, we should take care of people. We have a state government and finally they should take care of people. How to live, how to survive, what to do?”
Haghartsin village
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Gosh village
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
October 02, 2015 at 16:21