Environmentalists alarm about destruction of ‘Symphony of the Stones’ in Armenia

Photo by econews.am

Symphony of the Stones of Armenia’s popular tourist attraction – Garni gorge – turns to Jougha cemetery, activists Samvel Hovhannisyan and Sarmen Shahijanyan alarmed today at the meeting with reporters.

Though the column-like basalts have been declared as geological monument, it does not have passport because of inactivity of Nature Protection Ministry.

The environmentalists said they have several times videotaped the scenes of elimination of the six-corner stones.

“The recent case was on November 26 but the process started earlier. Workers break these stones and use them as construction materials,” Samvel Hovhannisyan said, adding that when they tried to approach them, they left the tools and ran away.

The activist reminded that few years ago after a noise was raised that the villa of Paravon Mirzoyan, director of National Gallery, was being built by that stones the police filed a criminal case, which though was not elaborated. “The police stated that the territory would be controlled but in reality it did not,” he said.

Iranian-Armenian activist Sarmen Shahijanyan said it is impossible to implement such a wide-scale activity with state bodies being unaware of it.

The Diaspora Armenian activist said seeing such vandalism first time on October 22 they met with the head of the village who convinced them that he would apply to the police.

“I start thinking that the head of the village is either doing nothing, or covering the case on purpose,” he said, adding that the trucks with the stones cannot pass unnoticed. There are two roads there and it is not difficult to control them, the activists claimed.

“I am very surprised. The state bodies are voicing every day that they want to develop tourism and everyone knows that the visitors first visit Garni and Geghard,” he said, adding that the villagers as well tear the stones and use them as building material.

The activists also noted that there are houses of millionaires in Garni built by that stones after the government added them in the list of monuments.