Environmental issues in Akhtala community hinder community development vision, 15 February 2022

Shamlugh is part of Akhtala enlarged community. As a beneficiary community of Akhtala OPC, it receives compensation every month. “The concentration of heavy metals is high in the lands and in human organisms,” Oleg Dulgaryan, President of Center for Community Consolidation and Support NGO, says.

During the operations of "Akhtala OPC " CJSC, 3 tailing dumps "Nazik", "Pahesti Dzor" (reserve) and "Nahatak" have been established in Akhtala Community.

Inga Zarafyan, President of "EcoLur" Informational NGO, adds that the companies should take safety measures in parallel with the mining industry, carry out reclamation, and restore the violated lands. However, no company in Armenia does that, as there is no relevant legislation to hold companies accountable.

They are residential houses in the immediate vicinity of "Nahatak" tailing dump, where the inhabitants are exposed to the harmful pollution of the tailing dump on a daily basis...

"There is a specific demand here, the first is that the tailing dump should be reclaimed, the second is that the residents here should be compensated for the social and health damage they have suffered," Oleg Dulgaryan, President of Center of Community Consolidation and Support NGO, said.