NGO CHARGES ARMWATERCANAL WITH CORRUPTION
Yerevan, August 26. ArmInfo. Representatives of the Civil Rights
Development NGO appeared today in the Azdak discussion club with
corruption charges against ArmWaterCanal.
The head of the NGO, French citizen, lawyer Artashes Barseghyan says
that he has lived in the village of Kaghtsrashen, Ararat region,
since 2003. He has invested $1 mln in the development of the region’s
agriculture. He has necessary equipment but he can’t work as there
is no water in Kaghtsrashen and nearby villages. "Agriculture can’t
develop without water," says Barseghyan.
The water pipeline built in the village ten years ago is worn out.
The village has water only 3 hours a day. Because of lack of water
the villagers are forced to drink dirty water, which is dangerous to
their health. However, ArmwaterCanal has not so far responded to any
complaint, while Health Care Ministry experts have said that the water
is good. What ArmWaterCanal really cares for is to collect payments. "I
have paid a huge sum in the last three years – it was quite enough
for repairing the water pipeline and for providing the village with
water round-the-clock. This is nothing but corruption blessed by the
minister of territorial administration Hovik Abrahamyan."
In his turn, the lawyer of the NGO Hovik Arsenyan said that he had
asked the court of Ararat region to oblige ArmWaterCanal to meet its
contractual obligations and to provide its consumers with high-quality
drinking water. Arsenyan will also send necessary materials to the
public prosecutor’s office.