EcoLur
Another conflict between “Dundee Precious Metals Kapan” CJSC and the environmental society took place on 23 September during the public discussions on the Geghanush tailing dump. The main reason for the conflict is to increase the tailing dump capacity.
According to the project, the increase in the dam of the tailing dump will result in having capacity of 11.37 million cum instead of projected 8.7 million cum in 2006.
As Environmental lawyer Arthur Grigoryan told the Syunyats Yerkir that the main problem is vague figures about the capacity of the tailing dump, height of the dam and its fullness. The figures they have submitted are very mixed and non-reliable.
The Syunyats Yerkir writes that they didn’t receive answers to the following questions:
a) Given which problems is the northern dam of Geghanush tailing dump increased and reinforced?
b) Whether the capacity of the tailing dump won’t increase, as the northern dam of the tailing dump occupying 32 ha area will be increased by 40 meters?
c) What kind of impact will Geghanush tailing dump have on the life and health of the population in Kapan and other affected communities?
d) To what extent is Geghanush tailing dump full?
e) Why didn’t “Dundee Precious Metals Kapan” CJSC perform the requirement of reclaiming posed still in 2006?
f)…Whether Kapan Combine doesn’t think of moving to Geghanush village?
Geghanush tailing dump has been rehabilitated with the financial support of the EBRD. As soon as its operation started, several breakdowns occurred. According to the opinion of RA “National Bureau of Expertise” SNCO, the construction of Geghanush tailing dump has been implemented not in compliance with project documentation and assignments. The aqueduct of Geghanush tailing dump has also been constructed with project deviations.
A question arises whether all drawbacks have been eliminated and whether the EBRD has factually supervised the rehabilitation process?
Photo is taken from www.syuniacyerkir.am web site.
September 28, 2015 at 15:48