Armenia’s Chichkhan River on the edge of extinction (video)

Trchkan civil initiative has issued a statement alarming about the disastrous situation of the Chichkhan River being a result of hydro power plant being built on the river.

In the released statement the initiative stresses that the big number of small hydro power plants endanger Armenia’s rivers and their surrounding territories. “Small hydro power plants are usually being built without taking into consideration the nature protection norms, without serious examination,” the statement runs.

“Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission is handing licenses without restrictions and the Nature Protection Expertise organization is providing formal conclusions without taking into account the nature protection, social-economic standards,” the statement says.

The initiative claims that Chichkan River has remained almost without water with the surrounding territory being gradually eliminated. The initiative claims that a great damage will be caused to the agriculture with farmers being deprived of irrigation water.

The initiative claims there is no state control of the exploitation of hydro power plants. It also expressed hope that people responsible will spread the statement and the video of the initiative and a criminal case will be filed over the case.