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DISCUSSION ON CONSTRUCTION OF AKHTALA TAILING DUMP IN METS AYRUM WAS TENSE
17:30 February 14, 2015
EcoLur
On 12 February the public hearings on allotting new land area from Mets
Ayrum community, Lori Region, for the construction of a new tailing
dump at Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine, was held in Mets Ayrum community.
Mets Ayrum community head Sahak Nazaryan, Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine
Foreign Affairs and Environmental Department Head Gagik Shahnazaryan,
community residents, environmentalists and journalists took part in
these discussions.
Not mentioning anything about the damage to be caused due to the
construction of a tailing dump, the combine representative started
listing who gets how much due to being employed at the combine,
"The combine currently employs 700 people, out of which 60 people
are from Ayrum and Tchotchkan communities, who annually earn over
100 million AMD."
Then G. Shahnazaryan made a rapid shift to the financial state of the
combine and praising its owner - Maksim Hakobyan, "It's not that moral
to speak about enterprise incomes under current conditions of decrease
in copper price worldwide. The price dropped from US$ 7300 to US$
5300, but no one was made redundant and God bless Mr. Maksim Hakobyan,
he said not to fire anyone and let at least one family member work."
"Our common approach, which is also Maksim Hakobyan's approach, is
possible social support to community residents," G. Shahnazaryan said.
"If you think of people, open a fruit canning plant," one of the
community residents said.
Another community resident said, "If this tailing dump is full in 10
or 20 years, where will it be transferred?... we don't have any land
areas, the tailing dump occupies everything... Do you understand that
we are deceived when we are told no damage will take place...70 people
are employed, but hundreds of people breathe in this air...How are
they going to reclaim 40 ha, if now they can't reclaim 7 ha...They
pay only 40,000 AMD, but this doesn't allow me to get any benefit
from my land area of 20 ha. Can't you feel that nature doesn't exist
here? No fruit, not harvest, as the soil is contaminated."
Then the resident asked the attendees who wanted their children to
get sick and the reply was non negative.
Then the resident added, "You are all cheated with a few
pennies... this fine nature is destroyed, we don't have any nature
anymore, I go to other places for fresh air - here I have headaches
and pain in my heart."
Hakob Sanasaryan, Chairman of Greens Union of Armenia, informed the
residents about the hazards of the tailing dump.
"Tail contains heavy metals, which cause heavy consequences not only
for people, but also for animals and plants. The scientists have
proved that tail processed thousands years ago still remains. If a
large tailing dump is available in the area, no human being should
live there," Hakob Sanasaryan said.
"Community residents are informed that their children may die of
cancer tomorrow. The community residents should be aware of it. In
December the OSCE published a report, which says Akhtala tailing dump
is the most hazardous," said Oleg Dulgaryan, Director of "Community
Unity and Support Center" NGO, member of Mets Ayrum Aldermen's Council.
A resident supporting the tailing dump said, "We have lived here for
so many years and already got diseases, why you haven't come earlier
and informed us about not living here...Tchotchkan has already made
its decision, so what's wrong with Ayrum?"
The community head finished the discussions without allowing the
attendees, including the environmentalists, to ask the questions they
are concerned with.
http://ecolur.org/en/news/mining/discussion-on-construction-of-akhtala-tailing-dump-in-mets-ayrum-was-tense/7024/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_l6SAMiGMY
From: Baghdasarian
17:30 February 14, 2015
EcoLur
On 12 February the public hearings on allotting new land area from Mets
Ayrum community, Lori Region, for the construction of a new tailing
dump at Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine, was held in Mets Ayrum community.
Mets Ayrum community head Sahak Nazaryan, Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine
Foreign Affairs and Environmental Department Head Gagik Shahnazaryan,
community residents, environmentalists and journalists took part in
these discussions.
Not mentioning anything about the damage to be caused due to the
construction of a tailing dump, the combine representative started
listing who gets how much due to being employed at the combine,
"The combine currently employs 700 people, out of which 60 people
are from Ayrum and Tchotchkan communities, who annually earn over
100 million AMD."
Then G. Shahnazaryan made a rapid shift to the financial state of the
combine and praising its owner - Maksim Hakobyan, "It's not that moral
to speak about enterprise incomes under current conditions of decrease
in copper price worldwide. The price dropped from US$ 7300 to US$
5300, but no one was made redundant and God bless Mr. Maksim Hakobyan,
he said not to fire anyone and let at least one family member work."
"Our common approach, which is also Maksim Hakobyan's approach, is
possible social support to community residents," G. Shahnazaryan said.
"If you think of people, open a fruit canning plant," one of the
community residents said.
Another community resident said, "If this tailing dump is full in 10
or 20 years, where will it be transferred?... we don't have any land
areas, the tailing dump occupies everything... Do you understand that
we are deceived when we are told no damage will take place...70 people
are employed, but hundreds of people breathe in this air...How are
they going to reclaim 40 ha, if now they can't reclaim 7 ha...They
pay only 40,000 AMD, but this doesn't allow me to get any benefit
from my land area of 20 ha. Can't you feel that nature doesn't exist
here? No fruit, not harvest, as the soil is contaminated."
Then the resident asked the attendees who wanted their children to
get sick and the reply was non negative.
Then the resident added, "You are all cheated with a few
pennies... this fine nature is destroyed, we don't have any nature
anymore, I go to other places for fresh air - here I have headaches
and pain in my heart."
Hakob Sanasaryan, Chairman of Greens Union of Armenia, informed the
residents about the hazards of the tailing dump.
"Tail contains heavy metals, which cause heavy consequences not only
for people, but also for animals and plants. The scientists have
proved that tail processed thousands years ago still remains. If a
large tailing dump is available in the area, no human being should
live there," Hakob Sanasaryan said.
"Community residents are informed that their children may die of
cancer tomorrow. The community residents should be aware of it. In
December the OSCE published a report, which says Akhtala tailing dump
is the most hazardous," said Oleg Dulgaryan, Director of "Community
Unity and Support Center" NGO, member of Mets Ayrum Aldermen's Council.
A resident supporting the tailing dump said, "We have lived here for
so many years and already got diseases, why you haven't come earlier
and informed us about not living here...Tchotchkan has already made
its decision, so what's wrong with Ayrum?"
The community head finished the discussions without allowing the
attendees, including the environmentalists, to ask the questions they
are concerned with.
http://ecolur.org/en/news/mining/discussion-on-construction-of-akhtala-tailing-dump-in-mets-ayrum-was-tense/7024/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_l6SAMiGMY
From: Baghdasarian