Anahit Mnatsakanyan, Coordinator of Hrazdan Aarhus Centre, www.aarhus.am
On March 10, a meeting was held in Hrazdan Aarhus Centre with the center volunteers. There was discussed the problem of Hrazdan iron mine exploitation. This mine is going to exploit the Chinese Fortune Oil Company. According to J. Laymn, the director of “Hakobyan Environmental Center”, of the American University, candidate of Biological Sciences, and T.Laymn, a specialist of the same center the mine exploitation may be a reason of Hrazdan environmental components pollution with heavy metals and emerging dangerous diseases among residents. The mine is situated in a distance of only 650 meters away from the closest residential houses.
There is also the main risk of polluting water resources of pumping stations which are placed at the foot of the hill. It is obvious that when the exploitation is approved; it will take several years or decades, thus increasing air pollution, which has been already existed within a long time due to Hrazdan cement plant. Aiming to enhance population awareness informational leaflets with brief description of dangers threatening the environment of the city and population health was prepared by Hrazdan Aarhus Centre. Center volunteers expressed willingness for distribution of the leaflets among the population and in organization signature collection against the exploitation of the mine.
Volunteers in their turn informed that a few days ago two young people graduated the faculty of Ecology had visited Hrazdan high school No. 13, the latter were collecting signatures for consent of building processing plant in Banavan district of Hrazdan. It should be mentioned that Banavan district is situated in a distance of 1.5 km from the mine. According to the explanation, local residents instead of certain conditions must be resettled in order to use their lands. By the way, the residents of that district have allotments, which provide the part of their living. And could it be that the offered conditions will compensate the properties that have Banavan residents. It is pity that some people agree with the conditions, perhaps not realizing the seriousness of the problem.
March 17, 2011