Epress.am News from Armenia
Residents of the town of Shamlugh in Lori marz (province) report that the daily explosions produced by Aparag Mining LLC near the town cemetery is causing the tombstones and walls of buildings next to the open pit to crack, reports local daily Zhoghovurd.
The mine is located 80–100 meters from the town cemetery.
"They are conducting explosions with such force that it seems to us it's a great earthquake and the building is about to collapse. They conduct explosions every day. Before, they would warn [us] before conducting the explosions, now who's thinking about that?" the residents informed the newspaper.
In addition, the company intends to expand the area of the mine at the expense of the cemetery. Zhoghovurd underlines that, according to the Republic of Armenia Code on the Lithosphere [AM], it is prohibited to exploit the subsoil near cemeteries.
Aparag Mining has a plant for producing explosives, which operates in the town of Kajaran, Syunik marz, and in the village of Hankavan, Kotayk marz. One of the consumers of the emulsion explosives produced by the company is Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine.