Experts want government to suspend operations of non-metallic mines in Lake Sevan basis until EIA undertaken
YEREVAN, October 24. /ARKA/. Non-metallic mines operating in Lake Sevan basin, especially in Martuni district, pose a serious threat to the Sevan National Park, according to Bardukh Gabrielyan, chairman of a commission of experts set up by the National Academy of Sciences to study the problems of Armenia’s largest lake.
"We don't have an assessment of the cumulative impact of these mines. Perhaps we will propose that these mines temporarily suspend their operations until a strategic environmental impact assessment (EIA) is taken," Gabrielyan suggested speaking today at a meeting of the commission.
Khachatur Meliksetyan, Director of the Institute of Geological Sciences, said the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure has awarded 25 permits for non-metallic mines in the Lake Sevan basin, but satellite images show that only in the Gekhhovit Basalt Mine area there were 38 large and small excavations in 2019 and their number has even grown in 2022.
"The landscape is completely damaged. The area is 200 meters way of the Argichi River flowing into the lake. There are also several dozen open mines in the Jil Artanish area," he said.
The commission decided to send a letter to the ministries of environment and territorial administration with a request to carry out a strategic EIA to find out the aggregated impact of various economic activities in the basin on Lake Sevan.
The commission also voiced concern over plans to build a medical waste incineration plant in Vardadzor community of Gegharkunik region, which is going to be located 600 meters away from the Sevan National Park as the planned amount of waste is more than can be produced in Gegharkunik region and medical waste will probably be brought to the facility from other regions as well. The commission also pointed out that the technology chosen for this activity is not the best one.
The commission also highlighted the negative impact of an asphalt and concrete plant in Vaghashen community of Gegharkunik region. It was suggested that the plant located about 700 meters away of the lake, install emission reducing technology. All the proposals will be sent to the Environment Ministry.
Lake Sevan is one of the most popular touristic attractions and vacation spots for Armenian citizens, especially during the summer season.
The main source of fresh water in the region, the lake is one of the largest alpine lakes in Europe and Asia located in the heart of the Armenian highlands, at an altitude of 1914 meters.
The length of the lake from north-west to south-east is more than 70 km with water surface area almost 1.5 thousand sq. km. Twenty-eight rivers fall into the lake and one –The River Hrazdan-flows out of it. -0-
