Syunik Village Polluted with Heavy Metals Neglected

EcoLur

In August of this year, EcoLur Information NGO held a discussion in Syunik village within the framework of ct "Affected Mining Communities: Full Participants in the EITI Process" project. The residents raised environmental and health concerns arising from the mining industry. “During the disasters of the Zangezur and Kapan factories, the concentrate fills into our irrigation canals. Wastes of 2-2.5 m high have already piled up near the water pipe. The plant has to remove these wastes. We complain, they say we will, but they do nothing. Within 25 years at least 1 million drams should have been spent, we would have had a repaired, clean canal ... We demand that the plant clean the canal," Syunik residents said.

For many years the soils of the Syunik village have been irrigated by the water of the Achanan River, where the water from the ponds of Zvanzour Copper and Molybdenum Combine flow into. The Achanan River is also polluted with the water coming out of Shahumyan mine of Kapan Ore Processing Plant. According to the research carried out by Center for Ecological Noosphere Studies, lead, mercury, copper, molybdenum, nickel, chromium, zinc, cadmium are in high concentrations in agricultural products grown in Syunik, which means heavy metals have penetrated into the food chain.

According to “Environmental Monitoring and Information Center” SNCO, as of 2019 July, the Achanan (Norashenik) River has the highest pollution level of the 5th class.
Residents complain that their gardens are drying up as a result of irrigation with contaminated water, and the crop is not competitive in the market. “There are rumors that you will not buy anything from the people of Syunik because the water and air there are dirty. People don't know what to live on," one resident said.

According to data published in the first EITI National Report of Armenia, the impact of Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine on the water basin of Syunik village in 2016 and 2017 was negative; it was calculated at 10%. The environmental fee to be paid by the company was set for that amount. The impact on the established order of production and consumption waste was estimated at 20%.

However, no negative impact on environmental payments was set for Syunik village during the summer basin emissions. Meanwhile, residents raised the issue of dust spreading with the Artsvanik tailing dump to Syunik village. "How can mining have no impact on the air? The wind brings the dust from the tailing dump to our side ... The child comes covered in concentrate dust. Should the children die immediately to say it is harmful? ” one resident said angrily.

Residents voiced their demand for a study of soil contamination in the village, health plans.

“A study needs to be done to find out whether there are heavy metals in our soil or not. After all, the whole community benefits from the food grown on that land. My husband used that crop, he died of blood cancer. How many people in this area have lost their feeders due to cancer ... Have they forgotten about people's health? Over the recent 6 years, 4 families have lost their breadwinners. All – because of cancer. At least there should be some support from the Ministry of Health,” the residents said.

According to the EITI report for2016-2017, no environmental funds were allocated for health and environmental activities in Syunik village and the community did not benefit from such programs. Residents said they did not know about the feasibility of implementing such programs. "We were unaware of anything." In this connection, it was suggested that the law should be amended and that the project be discussed with the villagers before submitting it to the government, with appropriate signatures that the residents agree to implement the program.

During the discussion, the residents also suggested that the affected community should not be the optimized community but the immediately affected community.

It should be noted that according to the EITI report, Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine CJSC issued non-financial allocations for 2016 and Syunik Village Municipality was allocated fuel worth 2 million 113 thousand AMD.

This material has been prepared within “Mining-Impacted Communities – Full Participants in EITI Process'” project implemented by EcoLur with the USAID support within the frames of “Engaged Citizenry for Responsible Governance” project implemented by Transparency International Anticorruption Center.

This article is made possible by the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency  for International Development  (USAID). The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

August 23, 2019 at 15:11