Nature Protection Ministry Hastily Approving Antienvironmental Projects thus Violating Public Rights 25.07.2012
Hot period of approving anti-environmental projects has launched in violations with public rights – participation in decision-making process. The website of Nature Protection Ministry, www.mnp.am, displays announcements about public hearings, nevertheless their timeframes generate at least bewilderment. Thus, the Ministry invites people to get familiar with the documents on expanded cyanic production project ("GeoProMining” LLC), though the date of the hearings is appointed on 21 July. After several days, on 30 May, the public hearings on the expanded project of opencast development of Sotq gold mine (submitted by the same "GeoProMining” LLC) will be held in Sotq Village. It should be noted that the expanded project to be considered in Sotq village includes parts on crushing and sorting complex, which has been operated over a year without any project and appropriate environmental impact expert assessment.
The working group of Nature Protection Ministry which should have examined the situation in Sitq as regards with the crushing and sorting complex, visited Sotq in April, nevertheless, it hasn’t issued any opinion so far. This tactics to be issued positive solution for the crushing and sorting complex can’t stand any criticism. Fist of all, the imitating function of the working group immediately becomes evident. Secondly, it’s also obvious that Nature protection Ministry couldn’t or didn’t want to apply inspection functions towards GeoProMining Gold Company.
In this regard, the project of tailing dump expansion should also be outlined. If the Ministry didn’t cross out the part of the crushing and sorting complex from the general project, though it is the most vulnerable part in view of Article 10 of RA Law "On Lake Sevan”, why the part on cyanic tailing dumps was not introduced into general expanded project?
The cyanic tailing dump of Ararat Gold Recovery Factory belonged to hazard of class 1, under the old classification (2002). Nobody checked the situation of this tailing dump right now, whether it will endure the load and why only Ararat village was included in the project affected zone, and not Ararat town, which is directly exposed by the project?
