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ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS IN GILAN: "WE'LL TEAR THAT BUILDING DOWN WITH OUR OWN HANDS"
Kristine Aghalaryan
hetq
09:04, July 19, 2012
There's a building in the Gilan Section of the Khosrov Forest State
Reserve whose status remains in limbo.
In 2007, the Armenian government changed the zoning status of a
118 hectare section of the reserve known as the Gilan section. This
allowed for the commercial leasing of the site and the construction
of the building in question. At the time, many were concerned that
the building was to be used as a restaurant.
Later, the government nullified its earlier decision but the question
about what to do with the nearly completed structure remains up in
the air.
Khosrov Reserve Director Varantsov Barseghyan wants the building to
stand and to be converted into a nature museum.
Barseghyan made his view known to a group of visiting environmental
activists and government officials who went to Khosrov to check on
another matter; the building of an 8 kilometer road in the reserve.
The activists also voiced their concerns about the now illegal
building to First Deputy Environmental Minister Simon Papyan, who
had accompanied them to Khosrov.
The 188 hectare section had been leased to a company called Hovazadzor
Ltd. The company claimed that the site would be used to conduct a
project seeking to preserve the flora and fauna and to study ways to
utilize natural resources in a sustainable manner.
The activists complained that at the time the public was not included
in the decision-making process regarding the rezoning of the reserve.
Most called for the building to be removed since it was a cement
eyesore.
Director Barseghyan suggested that the building could be used for
positive aims.
A government created committee to look into the matter has yet to
publish its opinion on what should be done.
First Deputy Minister Papyan told the activists that one alternate
was to compensate the builder of the structure and to use the building
for another purpose.
The young environmental activists balked at this suggestion and argued
that the official who signed the original rezoning permit should be
responsible for any compensation.
Director Barseghyan responded that the construction debris resulting
from dismantling the building would create an even larger problem
and that the structure should remain.
"If need be, we'll tear it down with our own hands and load the debris
into the dump trucks," said activist Yeghia Nersisyan.
From: Baghdasarian
Kristine Aghalaryan
hetq
09:04, July 19, 2012
There's a building in the Gilan Section of the Khosrov Forest State
Reserve whose status remains in limbo.
In 2007, the Armenian government changed the zoning status of a
118 hectare section of the reserve known as the Gilan section. This
allowed for the commercial leasing of the site and the construction
of the building in question. At the time, many were concerned that
the building was to be used as a restaurant.
Later, the government nullified its earlier decision but the question
about what to do with the nearly completed structure remains up in
the air.
Khosrov Reserve Director Varantsov Barseghyan wants the building to
stand and to be converted into a nature museum.
Barseghyan made his view known to a group of visiting environmental
activists and government officials who went to Khosrov to check on
another matter; the building of an 8 kilometer road in the reserve.
The activists also voiced their concerns about the now illegal
building to First Deputy Environmental Minister Simon Papyan, who
had accompanied them to Khosrov.
The 188 hectare section had been leased to a company called Hovazadzor
Ltd. The company claimed that the site would be used to conduct a
project seeking to preserve the flora and fauna and to study ways to
utilize natural resources in a sustainable manner.
The activists complained that at the time the public was not included
in the decision-making process regarding the rezoning of the reserve.
Most called for the building to be removed since it was a cement
eyesore.
Director Barseghyan suggested that the building could be used for
positive aims.
A government created committee to look into the matter has yet to
publish its opinion on what should be done.
First Deputy Minister Papyan told the activists that one alternate
was to compensate the builder of the structure and to use the building
for another purpose.
The young environmental activists balked at this suggestion and argued
that the official who signed the original rezoning permit should be
responsible for any compensation.
Director Barseghyan responded that the construction debris resulting
from dismantling the building would create an even larger problem
and that the structure should remain.
"If need be, we'll tear it down with our own hands and load the debris
into the dump trucks," said activist Yeghia Nersisyan.
From: Baghdasarian