EcoLur
In November 2017 Tashir branch employees of 'Veola Jur' Company has taken out the seals of the water meters in 7 households in bordering Sarchapet Community, Lori Region and now they are forcing them to pay huge fines for 'illegal' water use.
In 2015 'Veolia Jur' CJSC became the legal successor of 'Hayjrmughkoyughi' CJSC and made the water use of Sarchapet residents illegal, as the residents receive water through the pipelines they had laid down by themselves having the prior agreement of 'Hayjrmughkoyughi' CJSC. Furthermore, 'Veolia Jur' CJSC doesn't make Sarchapet community residents subscribers demanding from them to pay penalties.
Sarchapet resident Stepan Arakelyan says, 'I have applied to 'Veolia Jur' to have a water meter installed and to become a subscriber and made relevant payments for this operation. Nevertheless, the company refuses to make me a subscriber, though the money for the operation is not returned back. I was fined by 78.875 AMD reasoning it with illegal consumption of water from water supply and discharge systems. In case this fine is not paid, 'Veolia Jur' CJSC will call upon to court.'
'Veolia Jur' CJSC has determined the size of the fine in the following way: water capacity – 0.716 m3/h multiplied by 24 hours. It turns out that the resident daily spends 17.184 m3 water, 515.52 m3 water has been calculated for 30 days, which has been multiplied by 153 AMD and this made up the sum of the penalty. 'We have installed the water meter, which they have taken a photo of. We have spent water, which is worth almost 2000 AMD in a month, but they have imposed a fine of 80,000 AMD,' Stepan Arakelyan said.
10 households have already received notifications on fines.
'Veolia Jur' CJSC has started providing water supply and discharge services in Sarchapet as a result of implementing ADB-loaning 'Water Supply and Discharge Sector- Additional Funding' project. The project was implemented by 'Hayjrmughkoyughi' CJSC, which laid down partially drinking water pipelines in Sarchapet. Currently, around 200 households in Sarchapet use water of the artesian wells dug out with their own efforts and the water of the existing local springs. This water is not neutralized.
Several families in the community having reached an agreement with 'Hayjrmughkoyughi' CJSC laid down water pipelines at the expense of their own money and installed water meters. According to the residents, in May 2017 'Veolia Jur' CJSC sealed the water meters of 11 households. Nevertheless, in November 2017 Tashir branch employees of 'Veolia Jur' CJSC pulled off the seals of the water meters in 7 households. A question arises: to what extent such an action is legal, as well as imposing fines and not making residents subscribers.
The residents mention they don't refuse to pay for the water they have spent, if 'Veolia Jur' CJSC makes them subscribers and assign the water pipelines laid down with their efforts to the management of the company.
December 22, 2017 at 11:58