Armenian Businessmen are Damaging Arax River’s Surrounding Environment

A few days ago, after a visit to the Arax valley in Armenia’s Ararat marz (province), chair of the commission on issues related to Arax River Vladimir Movsisyan immediately became unwell, reports local daily Yerkir (“Country”).

“It took place when the commission chair saw how our local businessmen have begun to exploit Arax’ coastline, extracting sand, causing irreversible damage to the surrounding environment and posing a serious risk of flooding and changes to the riverbed. What’s interesting is that, ignoring the lessons from floods of previous years, the RA government has given permission for such activities to take place.

“According to our information, it was from the noted place that Vladimir Movsisyan was taken to hospital for a heart attack. After a week of treatment, he came to work. We think that the names of those in the business of sand extraction are known to Vladimir Movsisyan, who, knowing full well the harm this type of business can cause, will soon make a statement and present a report to the RA president,” reports Yerkir.

Note, Arax River (known as Aras River) begins in Turkey, flows along the border with Armenia to Nakhchivan, then along the border with Iran before spilling into the Caspian Sea at Azerbaijan’s coast.