EcoLur
The Ministry of Nature Protection of RA sees the solution to the problem of taking aside water from the Argitchi River in Sevan basin as follows:
– to stop all the works connected with taking aside the course of Gayladzor Tributary of the Argitchi River from Gegharkounik Region to Vayots Dzor Region, as well as the civil works of a small hydropower plant at the Argitchi riverhead, as they have illegal nature.
- to determine irrigation needs in Aghnjadzor Community, Vayots Dzor Region, its amount without any environmental and social harm to Lake Sevan and communities located in Gegharkounik Region.
Public representatives proposed not only to destroy the illegal hydropower plant, but also to impose a fine on the owner of “Zangezour Eximp.” “There was a small hut built in pastures, the fine was so huge you don’t know what to do, but here we have a huge dam, a 2-kilometer-long canal, the main artery of Sevan was going to be blocked, and nothing?” Gegharkounik region residents were surprised.
Nature Protection First Deputy Minister Simon Papyan who was presiding the meeting said neither the working group nor the State Environmental Inspection has authorities to destroy any illegal building or to fill up the dug canals. “We did our best and stopped civil works, though it was not easy to do. What about dismantling the dam and filling up canals for water disposal, other bodies must deal with this problem, for example, regional municipality, police or prosecutor’s office,” he said.
Eventually all the proposals on Argitchi issues, including offers made by communities, were decided to submit to two committees on Lake Sevan problems, the Committee on Lake Sevan Issues by the President of Armenia and Scientific-Expert Committee by the National Academy of Sciences of RA.
August 05, 2010