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ENVIRONMENTALIST THREATENS SIT DOWN STRIKE TO HALT SYUNIK GOVERNOR'S MINING EXPANSION PLANS
Marine Martirosyan
16:30, November 12, 2014
Armen Parsadanyan, an environmental activist and president of the
Kapan "Sustainable development" NGO, told Hetq today that he is
ready to stage a one-man sit down strike to halt further mining in
Syunik Province.
Parsandyan says he's concerned about a recent statement by Syunik
Provincial Governor Surik Khachatryan hinting that the government
has plans to greatly expand mining in the area as of next year.
"There are serious plans to operate new mines in Syunik. Development
in the southern reaches of the province will also involve mining. We
shouldn't shy away from mining and must attract investors, Khachatryan
stated, adding that thousands of new jobs are envisaged as a result.
The provincial governor failed to provide details on the planned for
mining projects.
"He limited his statement by only noting that the new mines would
be in Syunik's southern region. Nevertheless, the issue remains
problematic wherever they operate. If thousands of jobs are to open
up, as he claims, this can only mean mining on a huge scale, which
will be a disaster for Syunik," Parsadanyan told Hetq.
The activist noted that if the governor was referring to Geghi Gold,
a company that operates a mine at the springs that provide water to
Kapan, the threat is all the more real.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/57295/environmentalist-threatens-sit-down-strike-to-halt-syunik-governors-mining-expansion-plans.html
Marine Martirosyan
16:30, November 12, 2014
Armen Parsadanyan, an environmental activist and president of the
Kapan "Sustainable development" NGO, told Hetq today that he is
ready to stage a one-man sit down strike to halt further mining in
Syunik Province.
Parsandyan says he's concerned about a recent statement by Syunik
Provincial Governor Surik Khachatryan hinting that the government
has plans to greatly expand mining in the area as of next year.
"There are serious plans to operate new mines in Syunik. Development
in the southern reaches of the province will also involve mining. We
shouldn't shy away from mining and must attract investors, Khachatryan
stated, adding that thousands of new jobs are envisaged as a result.
The provincial governor failed to provide details on the planned for
mining projects.
"He limited his statement by only noting that the new mines would
be in Syunik's southern region. Nevertheless, the issue remains
problematic wherever they operate. If thousands of jobs are to open
up, as he claims, this can only mean mining on a huge scale, which
will be a disaster for Syunik," Parsadanyan told Hetq.
The activist noted that if the governor was referring to Geghi Gold,
a company that operates a mine at the springs that provide water to
Kapan, the threat is all the more real.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/57295/environmentalist-threatens-sit-down-strike-to-halt-syunik-governors-mining-expansion-plans.html