YEREVAN, May 8. /ARKA/. The threat of water-logging at Armenia’s Lake Sevan is looming large, Zhoghovurd reports. The thing is that nothing has been done since 2018 to clean coastal territories. More than that, according to the daily, the multifunctional digger, bought in 2010 for €600,000, has not been put in use.  

Roman Chobanyan, chief of the nature protection ministry’s procurement division, told the newspaper that a tender has been announced in 2018 and a contract has been signed with the winner, but the contact has been terminated because of a report received from concerned entities on the necessity to examine the territory subject to cleaning. 

According to the media source, AMD 117.62 million (around $244,500) is planned to be spent this year to clean coastal territories from forests because of the increase of the lake’s level. 

The Lake is situated in Gegharkunik province at an altitude of 1,900 m above sea level. Its’ basin’s total surface area is about 5,000 km2, which makes up 1⁄6 of Armenia's territory. The lake itself is 1,242 km2. It is fed by 28 rivers and streams. Sevan has significant economic, cultural, and recreational value. Its only island (now a peninsula) is home to a medieval monastery. –0—