EcoLur
The environmental problems and tense social conflicts arising due to ruthless development of SHHPs need urgent solutions. “SHPPs as alternative energy shouldn’t be blamed that out tycoons try to take as much water as possible,” said Expert Hydrologist Qnarik Hovhannisyan at the public discussion of “Problems of Lake Sevan and Probable Ways of Their Development”.
Questions arise concerning the principles based on which water usage permits are granted? How positive opinions are issued? As well, what kind of control of Nature Protection Ministry carries out? In reply to EcoLur’s question, Head of Bioresource Management Department Sevak Baloyan said, “Any HPP undergoes environmental expertise and all the environmental standards are preserved in all documents submitted, including fish passes. It’s another matter that, in fact, SHPPs are constructed. Besides granting a positive opinion, the Nature Protection Ministry carries out examinations and those SHHPs, which don’t comply with the standards laid down in the documents are imposed to fines.”
It should be mentioned that up to 2013 the Nature Protection Ministry hadn’t carried out any examinations among SHPPs. In 2013 it carried out examinations in three operating SHPPs in Lori and Gegharkounik Regions and the violation of environmental flow standards were recorded in all cases.
In Regarkounik Region Public Services Regulatory Commission of the Republic of Armenia granted licenses to 12 SHPPs. Already 8 SHPPs have been constructed on the rivers flowing into Lake Sevan, which poses a great hazard to the preservation of Lake Sevan ecosystem and the conservation of endemic fish population. “If the young fish of the trout is not let out into the lake, it will disappear, as the spawning site is inaccessible for the fish,” said Susanna Hakobyan, Head of Department of Hydrobiology of Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology.
In this regard Seval Baloyan noted, “In 2001 the National Assembly of Armenia adopted a law “On Lake Sevan”, which regulates the issued concerning Lake Sevan. The law currently ensures the ways of solving the problems of Lake Sevan.” It turns out that the law truly ensures the ways of solving the problems, but only on the paper.
This material was made possible through the full support of Open Society Foundations – Armenia’s Policy Fellowship Program Initiative, grant number 18571. Ideas, thoughts, and arguments presented in the paper are the sole expression of the author’s views and do not reflect those of Open Society Assistance Foundations – Armenia.
November 27, 2013 at 17:06
