EcoLur presents the results of the study conducted in Noravan Community, Armavir Region, in connection with the impact of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), emergency preparedness, awareness of safety measures, participation in decision-making and community social issues.
Some residents of Noravan, 5-10 km from the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), have some knowledge of the necessary safety measures in case of radiation danger, while others do not.
"We do not know what to do and where to go in case of an alarm signal. We have no shelter, no basement, we do not know where to take refuge," some of the interviewees from Noravan told EcoLur. They mentioned that it would be desirable to take part in some preparatory courses, to raise the level of awareness about radiation danger in the community.
There are families who are not only aware, but also have a basement adapted for shelter. "We have two basements, and the neighbors can take shelter. The entrance of one is from the car box, we enter the basement through the house, the entrance of the other is from the lobby of the house,” the of Noravan resident said.
Noravan Community Head Arthur Mikaelyan mentioned that in the spring of this year training exercises were organized in the village, they also conducted trainings.
"We together with the Ministry of Emergency Situations have recorded who has how many basements, how many square meters. Our school does not have a basement, we have sent a letter to the regional head and the government to build a basement in accordance with the norms. In case of an accident we have to go to Khanjyan," he mentioned.
Arthur Mikaelyan mentioned that it is very important to get the status of an ANPP-affected community.
"There are potential issues, we can use the status of an impacted communites. Besides, electricity should be more affordable for us," he outlined.
Agriculture in Noravan
The problem of irrigation water hinders the development of agriculture today. Irrigation water comes from Akhuryan and is served by "Armavir" WUC. But it is not enough, it is insufficient, whereas ours is the last village. We also have two artesian wells for an area of 200 hectares, and that is not enough. The villagers work part-time. They know that there is no water, but they put the seedling,” the community head said.
Noravan in Impact Zone of Armavir Town Landfill Site
One of the problems of Noravan is the negative impact of Armavir town landfill site. Residents complained about the smell and smoke from the landfill site with the wind. "Noravan is very close to Armavir. The city landfill site is 600-700 m in a straight line from the village. In the past, the forest layer between the village and the landfill protected us from smoke and unpleasant odors. And now a cloud of smoke is falling over the whole village,” Arthur Mikayelyan, Noravan Community Head noted.
August 18, 2021 at 17:39