The Environmental Protection First (EPF) Coalition has released a statement addressing the ecological disaster around the Pambak (Debed) river, News.Az reports.
The statement reads: "The recent photos and videos published by the 'epress.am' information website about the basins of toxic waste waters formed around the Pambak (Debed) river as a result of industrial activities of Armenia's Akhtala and Alaverdi mines are another alarm signal. The footage provides a clear picture of non-compliance with environmental norms and a lack of recultivation measures in the area. The publicized facts once again show that Armenia's mining industry activities endanger the entire region. We commend the issue raised by Armenia's 'Community Resistance and Contribution Center' NGO regarding the Akhtala and Alaverdi mines, and their initiatives to protect the environment and the health of people in settlements located in the area.
It is clear from the published information that although the large arsenic-containing waste landfill around the Alaverdi mine is state-owned in Armenia, no measures are being taken in the area. These facts once again show that the Armenian authorities do not intend to stop mining activities accompanied by gross environmental violations. As the Environmental Protection First (EPF) Coalition, we invite the 'Community Resistance and Contribution Center' NGO and the editorial office of the 'epress.am' information site to organize international expertise and monitoring in the area.
Professional experts of the Environmental Protection First (EPF) Coalition are ready to conduct environmental monitoring at Armenia's mining enterprises. We once again call on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to pay attention to the demands of civil society and to open the doors of Armenia's mining enterprises to an international monitoring group, including Azerbaijani ecologists."
Recently, the Armenian Ecological Front also raised alarm on social media that the settlement near the Dastakert mine in Armenia has turned into ruins, with the population decreasing by 30 times to 200 people. The interactive digital map compiled by the Environmental Protection First Coalition, which investigates Armenia's mining industry enterprises that poison the ecology of the South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea, shows that this copper-molybdenum raw material deposit was exploited by Molibdeny Ashxarh LLC.
