Akhtala and Odzun enlarged communities are famous for their beautiful landscapes and rich historical and cultural heritage. Favorable climatic conditions can contribute to the development of agriculture, beekeeping and tourism. There are mining companies operating in these two communities, which are a source of chemical pollution and a deterrent to the development of alternative sectors. Experts assess the potential for sustainable development.
Roza Julhakyan, an expert at "Social and Ecological Responsibility" project, mentioned that Debed and Akhtala rivers passing through the territory of the community are polluted with heavy metals in Akhtala. "There are many dumps in the territory of Akhtala Community, they are located on the roads leading to the villages. There are tailing dumps here. All this is a source of environmental pollution," she said.
Akhtala Mining and Processing Plant CJSC operates in Akhtala, which operates Shamlugh copper mine.
According to Roza Julhakyan, the company did not include any provisions of the social assistance obligation to the community in the soil management contract. Allocations in the company's soil management contract should be specified, tangible, targeted and substantive based on the needs of the given communities. "Residents need to be aware of environmental issues in order to be able to defend their rights and become demanding," she said.
The introduction of a socio-ecological component in the community development program will allow local authorities to pursue a coordinated policy aimed at environmental security, alternative social programs, and the development of a green economy.
Oleg Dulgaryan, President of " Center for Community Mobilization and Support " NGO, said, "We have communities that have suffered for decades from mining, hydropower, and poor waste management in the community. These communities have become less interesting in terms of tourism and investing in agriculture. Unless communities have a clear policy, they will cease to exist as communities with alternative development opportunities. They may face the danger of being emptied," he said.
Oleg Dulgaryan noted that the residents are not sufficiently aware of the environmental problems and the extent of their impact. "Studies have shown that Mghart mine has caused considerable damage to Mghart village. The soil is polluted, heavy metals have penetrated into the human body. The mine affects Arevatsag and Tsaper villages, but no one talks about it. The dust from Mghart tailing dump is blown by the winds to the land areas in Arevatsag, but the villagers do not know anything about it. Mghart tailing dump is located in the administrative area of Koghes Village, it damages Dzoraget and Debed rivers," Oleg Dulgaryan said emphasizing that the reason is the low awareness of the residents.
According to him, the goal of the project is to raise awareness about environmental issues, to provide the local government with leverage to be "the one to dictate".
Oleg Dulgaryan emphasized that as a result of the claim, the mining company operating in Akhtala has increased its socio-corporate responsibility. When there is a policy, it will provide local governments with certain opportunities, barriers and tools to dictate responsibilities. "It will not be a charity company, whereas the local government will not be waiting for charity, but there will be a demanding local government and an obligated company," he said.
Referring to "Social and Ecological Responsibility" project implemented to ensure green economy and sustainable development in the communities, Oleg Dulgaryan said, "The existence of a policy dictated by the local government will allow to clean the polluted areas and waste in accordance with the commitments undertaken by the companies, in case of taking care of or eliminating the damages caused by the companies.
All these issues should be resolved within the framework of the dialogue between the local government and the company with the active participation of the residents of the communities. The introduction of the policy will make the settlement attractive for tourists," he said.
“Social and Ecological Responsibility” project is carried out by “Center for Community Mobilization and Support”, “Martuni Women’s Community Council”, “New Horizons”, “EcoLur” and “Forests of Armenia” NGOs within the frameworks of The Data for Accountable and Transparent Action (DATA) project.
The Data for Accountable and Transparent Action (DATA) project is made possible by the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of DATA Project are the sole responsibility of “Community Mobilization and Support Center” NGO and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, EPF, and DATA Consortium.
January 14, 2022 at 14:06