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NEW TAILING POND IN AKHTALA TO BE CONSTRUCTED: NO TOWN HALL MEETINGS, NO TAXES
02.25.2015 10:18 epress.am
Not one town hall meeting has taken place in relation to the issue
of the construction of a new tailing pond affecting the communities
of Ayrum and Jojkan. An Ayrum village council member Oleg Dulgaryan
spoke about the issue during a discussion at Media Center yesterday,
February 24.
According to him, the residents only found out about the project
when the government intervened to change the status of 40 hectares
of land from agricultural to industrial. The same property foresees
the building of the Akhtala Enrichment Plant's tailing pond.
"A snap hearing was called on in order for the tailing pond to be built
on 40 hectares near the Ayrum and Jojkan communities. That's why the
government gave a favorable conclusion and based on that conclusion,
the council had to change the status of the land."
Dulgaryan also said that the villagers already have many complaints
about the current tailing dam.
According to president of the Greens Union of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan,
who was also present at the conference, the new tailing pond is to
be found in a 2.5-8 km vicinity of 12 communities, while the other
tailing dam is 5km away.
Sanasaryan said that the current tailing dam in Akhtala already has
a negative impact on the environment.
The Greens Union President also stressed that the tailing pond planned
to be built could pollute the adjacent area with heavy metals. Tailing
ponds also have an issue of hurting the state budget, because tailing
ponds do not get taxed in Armenia. Last year, the environmentalist
had written an open letter to Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan,
however in December the PM stated that he had not received it.
"Anyway, I personally handed the letter to the Prime Minister and
until now there hasn't been a response," said Sansaryan. He had noted
in the letter that Armenia's mining sector was free from being taxed
and that the situation has to change.
"I wrote that if it continues this way, Armenia will be left without
water, as well as irrigable land. Neither did the National Assembly
party factions respond. Basically, the force that exports Armenian
metals, the force through which laws of robbery entered Armenia,
that force probably also has power over the political parties,"
said Sanasaryan.
http://www.epress.am/en/2015/02/25/new-tailing-pond-in-akhtala-to-be-constructed-no-town-hall-meetings-no-taxes.html
From: A. Papazian
02.25.2015 10:18 epress.am
Not one town hall meeting has taken place in relation to the issue
of the construction of a new tailing pond affecting the communities
of Ayrum and Jojkan. An Ayrum village council member Oleg Dulgaryan
spoke about the issue during a discussion at Media Center yesterday,
February 24.
According to him, the residents only found out about the project
when the government intervened to change the status of 40 hectares
of land from agricultural to industrial. The same property foresees
the building of the Akhtala Enrichment Plant's tailing pond.
"A snap hearing was called on in order for the tailing pond to be built
on 40 hectares near the Ayrum and Jojkan communities. That's why the
government gave a favorable conclusion and based on that conclusion,
the council had to change the status of the land."
Dulgaryan also said that the villagers already have many complaints
about the current tailing dam.
According to president of the Greens Union of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan,
who was also present at the conference, the new tailing pond is to
be found in a 2.5-8 km vicinity of 12 communities, while the other
tailing dam is 5km away.
Sanasaryan said that the current tailing dam in Akhtala already has
a negative impact on the environment.
The Greens Union President also stressed that the tailing pond planned
to be built could pollute the adjacent area with heavy metals. Tailing
ponds also have an issue of hurting the state budget, because tailing
ponds do not get taxed in Armenia. Last year, the environmentalist
had written an open letter to Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan,
however in December the PM stated that he had not received it.
"Anyway, I personally handed the letter to the Prime Minister and
until now there hasn't been a response," said Sansaryan. He had noted
in the letter that Armenia's mining sector was free from being taxed
and that the situation has to change.
"I wrote that if it continues this way, Armenia will be left without
water, as well as irrigable land. Neither did the National Assembly
party factions respond. Basically, the force that exports Armenian
metals, the force through which laws of robbery entered Armenia,
that force probably also has power over the political parties,"
said Sanasaryan.
http://www.epress.am/en/2015/02/25/new-tailing-pond-in-akhtala-to-be-constructed-no-town-hall-meetings-no-taxes.html
From: A. Papazian