MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TAKES 6 DECISIONS ON STOPPING
OPERATION OF EARTH INTERIOR USING ORGNIZATIONS IN 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2007 the RA ministry of
environmental protection conducted checkings at 21 woodworking
workshops in Ararat, Lori and Tavush marzes, as a result of which acts
on administrative fines of 1.12 million drams (about 3.7 thousand USD)
were drawn up based on the facts of environmental violations revealed
at these workshops. The minister of environmental protection Aram
Harutyunian said at the December 25 press conference that as a result
of checkings at forestries of Megri, Ijevan and Noyemberian, 563 cases
of illegal tree felling were revealed, and the respective acts and
reports on compensation of damage of the total amount of 24 million
drams were drawn up.

The land protection-related checkings revealed 80 violations, based on
which 53 acts on administrative fines of a total of 3.77 million drams
and 20 reports on damage compensation of a total of 11.83 million drams
were drawn up. In particular, the damage done to nature by Deno Gold
Mining CJSC as a result of woodland pollution in the process of
operating the Marjan mine in Syunik marz was estimated to make 7.8
million drams.

Control and measurement work on Earth interior protection and use was
carried out at 215 Earth interior using organizations in 2007: 64 acts
on administrative fines of a total of 5.38 million drams were drawn up
based on the facts of 68 violations. 169 reports on measurement were
filed to tax bodies. Checkings are still underway in Shirak and
Aragatsotn marzes.

A. Harutyunian said that 6 decisions to stop operation of Earth
interior using organizations were made this year. According to him,
hidden ore minerals: 958.54 kg of gold, 1.444 tons of silver, 1.53 tons
of selenium and 1.672 tons of tellurium were discovered as a result of
re-checkings at Meghradzor and Sotk mines of Ararat Gold Recovery
Company LLC.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress