EcoLur
The overload on the river in Armenia is increasing because of SHPPs, the number of which is increasingly growing day by day. The most overloaded rivers in Armenia turn out to be as follows: Vorotan (10 SHPPs), Yeghegis (10 SHPPs), Arpa (8 SHPPs) (under our data, Arpa River may have more SHPPs). It’s not difficult to imagine the overload on the river, on which 10 SHPPs are constructed. Besides these three rivers, another 43 rivers are awarded with SHPPs with their fish reserves, but there is no point is speaking about them. While the residents have also made their selection...''Good bye to river, good bye to fish and to the country, we are leaving it!!!''.
We would like to add that any SHPP is a private business which ensures super profits for several people at the expense of the whole nation. River ecosystems are disturbed due to the functioning of SHPPs and fish reserves are destroyed as well. The SHPPs are constructed even on those rivers, which are included in the drainage area of Lake Sevan. Ignoring the opinion of the population and neglecting the social problems emerging in the communities in regard with SHPPs, ignoring conservation of biodiversity and even Lake Sevan 150 SHPPs (under latest data) are kept on being constructed and developed with the help of the governmental bodies and financial institutions as development banks.
This material was made possible through the full support of Open Society Foundations – Armenia’s Policy Fellowship Program Initiative, grant number 18571. Ideas, thoughts, and arguments presented in the paper are the sole expression of the author’s views and do not reflect those of Open Society Assistance Foundations – Armenia.
December 20, 2013 at 12:22