Akhtala Combine: Clean Akhtala Area of Old Tails Before Thinking of New Tailing Dump (Photos)

EcoLur

On 29 January hot discussions were held on the construction of a new tailing dump by “Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine” CJSC in the area of Mets Ayrum and Tchotchkan communities. 12.10684 ha in Mets Ayrum and 27.98901 ha of agricultural land areas shall change their category to industrial land areas.

“Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine” CJSC representative Gagik Shahnazaryan couldn’t give clear answers to the attendee’s questions and say how the community would benefit, if it agrees to the construction of a tailing dump, social compensations etc. Instead, the company representative started assuring the attendees that they still don’t construct any tailing dump.

Nahatal tailing dump owned by Akhtala combine is already operating in the area of Mets Ayrum and Tchotchkan communities, which causes serious problems for the locals.

Under O. Dulgaryan, it’s located directly next to the spring providing water to the community and already covers the springs, people have been complaining of diseases many times and many pets have fallen into the tailing dump.

Besides officially operating Nahatak tailing dump, Nazik reclaimed tailing dump is also located there, which belongs to the highest hazardous class – 5 till the adoption of a new Code on Subsoil in 2011. The area located between these tailing dumps is full of tails and wastes, but has no special name. All the wastes and toxic substances from the underground mine flow into the Akhtala River. The new administration of the combine, “MASKO MIne” CJSC should, first of all, speak about the solution to these problems, and only then initiate the discussions on constructing a new tailing dump.