EcoLur
Around 60% of Meghrasar open gold mine is located in the area of Arevik National Park, as WWF Armenia Head Karen Manvelyan told EcoLur. Under him, the geoprospecting area of the mine makes up 320.8 ha, out of which 186.4 is in the area of the national park, as First Nature Protection Minister Simon Papyan was advised.
Meghrasar open pit mining project was submitted to “Environmental Expertise” SNCO of Nature Protection Ministry by “AT Metals” LLC, a joint Armenian-Russian enterprise.
On 21 August Pan-Armenian Environmental Front Member Levon Galstyan noted at the public hearings of Meghrasar open pit mining project held at Tashtoun Regional Municipality, Syunik Region, that the area of the mine is included in Arevik national park. “It can’t be true,” insisted project author Hovhannes Nikoghosyan, director of “Akunf-Firma” LLC.
We learnt from “Environmental Expertise” SNCO of Nature Protection Ministry that the project is still undergoing the expertise. Article 17 (2) of RA Law “On Specially Protected Areas” bans geoprospecting works in the recreation area of the national park, development of natural resources, location of enterprises processing res, while Clause 3 bans any soil management via explosions in the economic zone of the national park, while another clause bans the location off the enterprises processing ores. “State program of preservation and use of specially protected areas of Armenia and measures for 2014-2020' document says that Arevik national park has 24 high-class species, 32 invertebrates and 25 vertebrate species.
In this regard, the mine development will violate RA Code on Subsoil, RA Laws “On Flora” and “On Fauna”.
October 08, 2014 at 16:02