2,000 PEOPLE OBJECT TO DEVELOPMENT OF IRON ORE DEPOSIT IN HRAZDAN
ArmInfo
2009-11-18 19:53:00
ArmInfo. 2,000 people have expressed their protest against the
development of iron ore deposit in Hrazdan.
Coordinator of Hrazdan Aarhus Center Edgar Yengibaryan says that the
deposit to be developed by Nagin company is situated 800 meters from
Hrazdan and 1.5 km from Hrazdan River.
Experts say that this project may result in heavy metal contamination
and serious ailments and may prove especially dangerous for children
(there are three schools 2 km from the deposit). Ph.D. Jennifer Lyman
(Environmental Center of AUA) predicts contamination of not only
irrigation but also drinking water as the deposit is situated near
several springs supplying water to hundreds of people. Meanwhile,
the project says that polluted water will be sent to a collector
near the village of Kagsi. "Fine but this collector has not worked
for several years," says Yengibaryan.
Unfortunately, all this has not prevented Nagin company from securing
the approval of the State Ecological Examination Committee of the
Ministry of Environment Protection of Armenia.
The company is going not only to develop the deposit but to build an
ore processing factory there.
Two public hearings have been held on this project since late 2008.
Representatives of Hrazdan Aarhus Center were also there. "July 30
we sent an open letter to President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan where
we specified all the ecological risks of this project but we have
received no answer so far," says Yengibaryan.
In order to show the public the threats of the project Hrazdan Aarhus
center has collected protest signatures. 2,000 people have objected
to the project so far.
The "Nature of Armenia" encyclopedia says that the Hrazdan deposit
contains 75mln-100mln tons of 27.95% iron ore.