EcoLur
The government approved the program of measures on the recovery, preservation, reproduction, natural development and use of Lake Sevan ecosystem. The significant part of the program refers to SHPPs constructed on the rivers flowing into Sevan, which says, “The preservation of the water regime and the recovery of the fishways in the water drainage structures with energetic purposes, and on the river where the fish spawns (with the consent of the companies operating HPPs).”
Thus, the government made the whole system of protecting spawning fish, including Sevan trout, beghlu and other protected species, dependent on the wish of the certain business, meanwhile it ignored the fact that all SHPPs constructed on the rivers flowing into Lake Sevan violate several laws at once - RA Law “On Lake Sevan”, RA Law “On Specially Protected Areas”, RA Law “On Fauna”, RA Law “On Environmental Impact Expert Assessment”. In this regard, it should be mentioned that the bill banning the construction of SHPPs on the rivers flowing into Lake Sevan is on the agenda of the National Assembly for already two years. It can’t be excluded that the bill is frozen upon the government’s insistence.
Photo by Vardan Galstyan
September 30, 2014 at 13:41