Police Responded to Complaints By Astghadzor Community Residents

EcoLur

Astghadzor Community residents in Gegharkounik Region have deprived of the main source of their drinking and irrigation water – the Astghadzor River. In their interview with EcoLur, the residents said that the riverbed flowing into the community has almost dried up and the water has completely transferred to neighboring Zolaqar Community as a result of the implementation of “Management and Competitiveness of Agricultural Resources of Communities” and “Support to Infrastructures and Rural Funding”. In 2016, Zolaqar community was issued a water use permit to use 23.1 l/s water from 4 natural springs located in the administrative area of Zolaqar community.

For the purpose of regulating this problem, a group of Astghadzor residents applied in writing to Armenian Chief Prosecutor Arthur Davtyan on 14 October 2018 demanding to recover their violated rights to access water, to carry out an investigation, to detect all the unlawful actions and abuses.

As Astghadzor residents are convinced, the interests of Astghadzor Community haven’t been taken into consideration in the design and implementation of the project, their rights to water have been violated – no discussions and public hearings have been held.

In reply, the letter by Head of Martuni Unit of Gegharkounik Regional Department of RA Police A. Melqonyan dated on 6 December 2018 addressed to Astghadzor residents says that the violations pointed out by Astghadzor residents haven’t been confirmed and this problem can be solved in a legal procedure by calling upon to a competent court: as this issue has a legal and civil nature, the residents can call upon to Court of General Jurisdiction of Gegharkounik Region.

April 10, 2019 at 17:17