Village Getting Nothing for Contamination with Akhtala Combine Tails

EcoLur

Tchotchkan tailing dump is located between two villages, Tchotchkan and Mets Ayrum developed by “Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine” CJSC. Both villages are extremely concerned with the risks that the tailing dumps bears, complain of increase in cancer diseases, problems with drinking and irrigation system, deterioration of their orchard productivity etc. Watch details in the interview with Tchotchkan Village Head Arkadi Tamazyan.

Tchotchkan Village Head Arkadi Tamazyan: Our community has water springs, but they are in the process of disappearing. Such threat exists. Below the tailing dump we have land areas, orchards, further downwards the Debed River flows. Tchotchkan Village has 500 families, which use the springs in the mountains, which can be used as drinking water. The village used to us drinking water from other sources as well. Irrigation water is taken from the Debed River, which is heavily polluted because of the tails. Last year the pumps stopped working because of the polluted water, as the tails were dumped not into the tailing dump, but directly into the Debed. If to stand near the tailing dump, the smell will prompt what it contains. We are preparing an official letter to the government. People are complaining they suffer from health problems, but nobody knows what is going on in fact. People get sick, leave to get treatment and then come back. We know the problem is serious, but there are no data who are ill and how. You can see we have high morbidity rate. We have 7 births against 15 deaths during the first half a year. The most common disease is cancer: recently our villager has dies, we helped him to do an operation, but nothing helped. We have buried him recently.

EcoLur: You raised the same problem of health in 2007:Varuzhan Tamazyan raised this issue.

Arkadi Tamazyan: Yes, but the tailing dump was developed at that time: the village head didn’t permit. Then the ex one issued the permit and we can say these land areas were given to them.

EcoLur: Why do you connect the problem of cancer with the tailing dump?

Arkadi Tamazyan: We always knew the tailing was a risk from the very beginning. Then we can see we have more deaths and diseases than other villages. In the Soviet period the tailing dump was closed, then everything changes and the tails are again dumped, as there is no other place for the tails.

EcoLur: Who owns the tailing dump?

Arkadi Tamazyan: Under the agreement, it belongs to Akhtala combine, but the combine didn’t use to own it. They used to be unowned land areas, which were passed to us and then to the combine. When there is no way out and there are governmental benefits, everything is clear. But our village doesn’t benefit anything from it: if damage is caused, it should be compensated in any way. But nothing is done. The tailing dump should at least be closed: three days ago an animal fell down and died there and we naturally posed a demand on damages. If a baby falls off there, how will they compensate it?

August 05, 2013 at 13:23