“Today, lake Sevan is not dying, it is reviving”,- announced Vladimir Movsissyan, the Chairman of Committee to the President of Armenia on lake Sevan problems during today’s meeting with journalist. Aravot.am inquired from the director of “Ecolur” NGO Inga Zarafyan whether she concurs with such observation. She answered,- “I’m curious what justification is there for such a statement. I will ask whether the quality of water is improved. Today, artificial food is filled into lake Sevan for increasing the fish, which contains nitrogen and phosphorus. Did anyone assess the pilot project as to how it affected the ecosystem of lake Sevan? Did the Commission provide a systematic approach? Agriculture We do not see anything good in lake Sevan in terms of agriculture. We know that treatment plants are being built, but they do not actually work. It is mine industry that has a negative impact on lake Sevan. And if the water rises, it promotes the process of self-purification to go. Only this, the remaining should be explored. Serious studies have not been carried out, funds have not been allocated. Funds are allocated to incomprehensible things. For example, funds are invested for artificial multiplication of trout, when the operation of the small hydropower plants disturbs the natural reproduction of trout. The project proposal is submitted to the National Assembly for one year that the small hydropower plants can not be built on the basin of lake Sevan, but we have already those of illegally constructed.” The President of Green Union Hakob Sanasaryan said,- “To say that lake Sevan revives, I think it was the wrong question. The state policy towards lake Sevan is tough and unjustified. We should not politicize the issue of lake Sevan, it is a dark issue, starting from the tunnel. If they are talking about the lake Sevan, let them find out how it happened that the Ministry of Environmental Protection gave a positive conclusion to the gold-polymetallic mine located on Amul mountain. In fact, today, the authorities of Armenia are implementing a destruction project of lake Sevan. A dozen years later lake Sevan will become a dead lake. The Commission should deal with this issue first”.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
