Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Ministry of Environment on December 11 to discuss the 2023 project of the department. In order to discuss the activity report, this is reported by the Government.
Deputy Prime Ministers Mher Grigoryan and Tigran Khachatryan, Head of the Prime Minister’s Office Arayik Harutyunyan, Head of the State Control Service Romanos Petrosyan, and other officials participated in the discussion.
Minister of Environment Hakob Simidyan and deputy ministers made reports.
It was reported to the Prime Minister that for the first time in the 4120 hectares of forested areas of “Hayantar” SNOC, aero-biological control works against pests and diseases were carried out (previously they were carried out using chemical substances).
In the affected communities, environmental projects were implemented in the amount of 38.8% of the planned amount. 226 hectares of reforestation and afforestation works were carried out. An 8 ha nursery was established, 250,000 seedlings were grown with a closed root system.
The financial receipts of BSPT SNOCs, including from the state budget, business activities, donors, etc., were presented. The steps taken in the direction of entrepreneurial activity were noted, in particular, the new starting rental prices, closer to the market, the leases of the plots of land in the recreation zone of the “Dilijan”, “Sevan”, “Arpi Lake” national parks, the new standards of the lease contracts – adaptation to the needs of people with disabilities, new ” Creation of 4 public beaches of Sevan National Park, organization of tenders for their exploitation, entrance-exit of Norashen reserve and reserve of regulation, ecotourism: new routes and the works carried out in the direction of improvement of the existing routes. The Prime Minister gave instructions on the operation and effective management of national parks and public beaches.
Regarding the latter, the Prime Minister emphasized. “I want to clearly state that where there is no development dynamics, which is expressed by non-state income, this is a clear line. If there is no income, then the company is not managed, and we Of course, by management we mean, so to speak, environmental management. We don’t mean that they have to expropriate land, cut down trees, slaughter animals so that incomes increase.
In general, our approaches are as follows. everything must be based on economic logic, because that is development. This means to put a logic of development, we must leave the logic of conservation. We must have constant growth and this is an important logic,” said Nikol Pashinyan.
“Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center” NOSC carried out works in the following areas: hydrometeorological services, environmental monitoring and information provision, implementation of forest state monitoring. 20 automatic meteorological stations were acquired, 9 of them with funds allocated from the state budget. 5 of them were installed in the basin of Lake Sevan, 2 stations were also equipped with printers for observation of evaporation from the water surface.
Money will be allocated from the RA state budget for the purchase of 2 automatic air monitoring stations. The stations will be installed in the city of Yerevan, which will enable real-time data collection and analysis, increase data accuracy and reliability.
The meteorological systems operated at the “Zvartnots” Aerometeorological Center” CJSC at the Gyumri “Shirak” airport, and partially at the “Zvartnots” airport, were replaced with new ones and the latest generation meteorological stations were installed. Thunder location sensors were put into operation at “Zvartnots” and “Shirak” airports. A new MESSIR-SADIS system has been introduced at “Zvartnots” and “Shirak” airports. About 3,000 meters of fiber optic cable was laid on the airstrip of Shirak International Airport, the weather forecast liquidity ratio was 91.8%, the capital costs of upgrading and repairing the system were around 160 million drams, the capital costs of upgrading and repairing the system were around 160 million drams, serviced is 20509 flights, of which in “Zvartnots”. 20216, 272 flights at “Shirak” and 21 flights at “Syunik” airport. As a result of increasing the efficiency of the company’s management, the profit increased by about 105%.
Permits, contracts, licenses for plant and animal objects were issued, a total of 4,634, the nature use fee was 90.3 million drams. duty: 4.07 million drams. 1018 waste and atmospheric emission permit documents were provided. From the third ten days of January 2024, the receipt of all permit documents will be digitized.
It was noted that 233 natural monuments have been established in the republic, of which 32 are registered.
Speaking about the preservation of natural monuments, Nikol Pashinyan said: “Ultimately, the basis of our decision-making should be the interest of Armenia’s economic development. In other words, in all places where we can generate economic development and economic growth, not forgetting to meet international standards and ensure continuous investments in our eco-environment, we must go for those solutions is a chain problem, linked to economic activity and poverty alleviation, etc. When cultural or historical monuments are destroyed, no one is particularly concerned about it. When someone appears next to that monument, the whole of Armenia “attacks” what are you doing? If we do not take measures, it will not be possible to preserve these monuments for science, because the monument is a monument in relation to a person. that is, if there is no person, the monument is not a monument. In all cases, when we perceive the monument in a place where no person should come near and the person should not be in communication, we destroy it. the monument”.
During the discussion, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan referred to issues related to the Lake Sevan ecosystem, the development of a new management plan for the “Sevan” National Park, the financial income of specially protected areas. 231,732 small fish of Gegharkun trout were released into the lake. The amount of industrial catch of whitefish was set at 600 tons, and 15 contracts were signed. 919 crabs were taken out of the lake, 638 crabs were returned to the lake. The temporary ban on the export of whitefish fry was extended, the criminal and administrative responsibility for illegal whitefish hunting was tightened.
Referring to the work against illegal fishing from Lake Sevan, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the close cooperation of the Ministry of Environment and the Water Patrol Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. and who is the final beneficiary of the process. People should understand that they are the final beneficiaries of the process and everything should be done legally,” he said. the prime minister
Regarding the implementation of the new order of operation of fish farms, the Prime Minister emphasized. “Obviously we have to be consistent, we can’t go back and forth, we have to go forward. It’s a question of how much water we waste to produce fish, and what that balance is worth let me say something. if we need fish, we can get it from somewhere else, but if we need water, we can’t get it from anywhere else. And this is a matter of national security.”
Referring to the implemented programs, the officials reported that the Government’s 2021-2026 60 activities of the sector were carried out within the framework of the program of activities. 6 programs and 42 events were implemented with the state budget.
21 sectoral laws, 34 government decisions, 3 decisions of the prime minister, 39 departmental acts were adopted. Another 17 draft laws and 22 government decisions are in circulation.
In particular, the Law “On Eco-Patrol Service”, which will enter into force on January 1, 2024, the new Law “On Environmental Impact Assessment and Expertise” and relevant by-laws, on making changes to the Law “On Protection of the Ozone Layer” were adopted. the law.
In the current year, the procedures for installation, sealing and operation of online transmission water meters (water meters) were developed, the platform of water meters was tested. to ensure the legal requirement from January 1. According to the water intake points, a total of 520 have been installed and sealed, of which 210 have been completed in the reporting year to develop a procedure, the procedure for introducing a closed circulation system was developed. It was noted that all water users (about 748) were notified of the requirement to install all regulations by January 1, 2024.
From May 2023, for a period of 1 year, the works of updating and upgrading the state water cadastre have started.