German KfW Bank Intends To Grant Loan To Daranak SHPP Constructed in Lake Sevan Basin

German KfW development bank has a positive approach to allotting a loan for Daranak SHPP. This is how the bank team, GAF – German- Armenian Fund, feels, through which SHPP projects are funded in Armenia.

On 28 September the informational meeting on “Daranak” SHPP was held in Daranak Village, Gegharkounik Region. “Daranak” SHPP was submitted for funding to German KfW development bank, while the funding is implemented through German-Armenian Fund (GAF). Mkrtich Tadevosyan, Local Banking Export, noted they wanted to listen to the opinion of the locals. “We would like to know, what kind of impact the SHPP will have on the community of the village, that’s the aim of our visit to the village,” he said.

The villagers worried about drinking and irrigation water. “The whole village gets irrigation water from Dara River. If the river dries out, the whole village will remain without water…” “When your donkey wants to drink water, you block the water…” “When your worker wants to wash, he cuts off the water, and only then washes…” “The construction of this SHPP is a great pleasure for us… the village gets new life, the youth will be employed there, my son is currently employed there,” said Daranak Village Head Mariam Manukyan. “…Villagers’ opinions are not taken into consideration, they gather one or two people and hold a meeting… Only two-three people took part in the public hearings, which was held in Yerevan, in the warehouse of a shop, while the villagers were not informed,” a Daranak villager said.

Under “Daranak” SHPP Director Hayk Harutyunyan’s director, the irrigation water will get more and not reduce. When the villagers asked how the water would get increased, Harutyunyan replied that they intend to collect water. Nevertheless, it turned out that the villagers use this water for animals to drink, “Where will we take water for animals from?” SHPP director said, “We have a special program, which designs a special place for it. We will help the village and won’t damage it. If needed, the SHPP won’t operate in the irrigation season.”

“EcoLur” NGO President Inga Zarafyan noted that under RA Law “On Lake Sevan” Daranak River is included in the catchment basin of Lake Sevan and should be protected by RA Law “On Lake Sevan” as an ecosystem. The law prohibits the construction of SHPPs on the rivers, which are included in the catchment basin of Lake Sevan and are site for the spawning of endemic fish species.

GAF Consultant, “It’s not the proper place and time to discuss environmental issues. This issue should bediscussed at higher bodies.”

Gegharkounik Regional Administration Environmental Department Head Hambardzum Hambardzumyan, “As a regional administration representative, I should say that we should develop our economy, create working places and simultaneously strictly adhering to environmental, urban development and agricultural rules and laws, as well as human values. As an ecologist, I should say that the ban should be imposed on the construction of SHPP on all rivers flowing into Lake Sevan, where endemic fish species spawn. But SHPPs are alreadyconstructed on all rivers.”

Mkrtich Tadevosyan promised to the villagers that the organization will carry out a monitoring and will follow up that the company should keep its promise to supply water.

At the end of the meeting the expert of German Fichtner Company summed up, “I can see that the problem is with drinking and irrigation water and the SHPP owner undertook a commitment to supply both drinking and irrigation water. The water will be free of charge, as it used to be, and when the SHPP starts operating, the water will continue flowing, as it used to.”

An extract from “Daranak” SHPP project, “…All the rivers and tributaries flowing into Lake Sevan are considered fish-farming water objects. Daranak River and its tributaries are sites for trout spawning. Here you can meet species of river trout and beghlou… Sanitary flows are needed for the environmental balance of Daranak and Dzakhakoghmya rivers, in the volume of 0.013 cubic meters/sec and 0.007 cubic meters/sec, respectively.”

Note by EcoLur: The figures above show that only half a bucket of water will be left in 1/3 range of the river for the ecosystem conservation and supplying villagers with water.