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  • If It's Broke, Don't Fix It

    IF IT'S BROKE, DON'T FIX IT

    http://asbarez.com/111765/if-its-broke-dont-fix-it/
    Friday, July 19th, 2013

    The confluence: clean water, dirty water

    BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

    Of course the old saw actually goes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

    But in the topsy-turvy world that seems to be the Republic of Armenia
    (RoA), the way I have this article titled seems to be the way things
    are done. How else would you explain what one sees on YouTube in
    this video?

    The situation is this. There's a mining operation run by Ler-Ex near
    a watercourse, the Geghee stream. Naturally, there's a tailings pile
    ("tailings" is the term for the waste, non-metal-bearing earth that is
    left over from a mining operation). This pile of waste seems to have
    been accumulated in what used to be the Geghee's streambed. Wisely,
    the miners seem to have shunted the stream aside through a pipe to
    have its water circumvent the often toxic pile of tailings (though
    whether this was done legally, with government authorization is
    unknown at this point). So far, so good.

    The Geghee's course is such that it and the Voghjee stream join. At
    this confluence, we're treated to a disturbing sight. Voghjee's waters
    look normal colored, perhaps a bit turbid because the turbulent water
    is churning up silt (see picture). In contrast, Geghee's waters look
    opaque and are a disgusting-looking milky brown-yellow? How could
    that be? These streams are draining adjoining canyons.

    One of the pipes breaks

    It turns out there's been an accident of some sort around the mine.

    The pipe shunting Geghee's water is broken in at least four places that
    activists were able to document in the video above (see pictures). Of
    course, no one seems to be addressing the problem, leaving any observer
    to wonder if this wasn't intended to be a cover-up. What's happening
    is that part of Geghee's water is now finding its way back to its
    original course, right into the tailings dump (see picture)! This
    water then percolates into that waste. But it also has to escape
    somewhere, right? Well, guess what, there's a pipe sticking out the
    lower end of the tailings pile. Out of that pipe is flowing the now
    filthy water that has an awful stench. This pipe appears to be made
    of steel. "So what, of course it is!" you're probably thinking. And
    you're right. Except... The pipe shunting the stream is some flimsy,
    light blue colored plastic construct! No wonder it broke! This is
    not the thick PVC pipe you may have seen being put in the ground in
    a new housing development in the U.S.

    The soaked tailings pile

    This is what "mining" seems to look like in the RoA. This kind of
    rapacious, reckless, "who-cares" approach to what might otherwise be
    an important component of the economy is unacceptable in any country.

    It will ultimately lead to a severe backlash as people start to
    feel the adverse impacts on their health, ability to earn a living,
    and environment.

    >From the Diaspora, we must help tame this monster. The first step is,
    of course, building awareness of this problem. Then we must support
    the activists on the streets, the lawyers in the courtrooms, and
    the legislators in the RoA parliament who are striving to remedy
    this self-inflicted wound. Please follow the news to keep up with
    developments about, and participate in a walkathon, scheduled for
    September 22, that aims to raise awareness and funds. It is being
    organized by Green Armenia, a group of concerned Armenians.

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