EcoLur
The public and Nature Protection Ministry didn’t reach any mutual understanding in regard with the construction of a small HPP on TrchkanWaterfall. On October 27 the public held its regular protest demonstration by the government building and demanded to stop the construction. The day before, on 26 October, on Nature Protection Minister Aram Harutyunyan’s invitation, the discussion of this problem was held, which has already acquired rather acute nature. As it’s known, It’s already several days since Trchkan waterfall supporters have been holding a protest demonstration near the very waterfall trying to prevent “Robshin” company builders.
The waterfall is a specially protected territory, a monument of nature, which is officially included in the government list. Nevertheless, the Ministry ignored this fact when issued the permitting documents to the company, such as the positive opinion of the environmental expert assessment and permit for water use. Public thinks this construction will cause irreplaceable damage to the waterfall. Even now the civil works caused changes in environment.
At the meeting Nature Protection Minister Aram Harutyunyan introduced the aim of that meeting – to give objective assessment to the situation around the waterfall. He stated this meeting can be considered to be a new public hearing for the construction of a small HPP. He refused to recognize the positive opinion of the environmental expert assessment and permit for water use null and void documents. He also refused to stop the civil works near the waterfall, i.e., in reality, he refused to give any legal appearance to these discussions.
For our part, the public presented legal grounds proving the legislation violations the Nature Protection Ministry has committed. Meeting participants, designers of the small HPP from “ArmEnergyProject” Institute, didn’t even imagine the project must have the environmental impact assessment, EIA, i.e. the most important documentation needed for the opinion of the environmental expert assessment. More surprisingly, the State Environmental Expertise didn’t even demand the EIA when considering their documentation. Ministry Staff Head Edgar Pirumyan even refused to recognize Trchkan waterfall as a specially protected territory and stated the waterfall is under no regime. Public representatives stated no mutual understanding had been reached in any of the issues, and the struggle for Trchkan waterfall will continue.
October 27, 2011 at 12:32