Why Hills and Mountains are Disappearing Along the Yerevan-Sevan Highway: MP

During a discussion in the National Assembly regarding amendments to the law on "Environmental Impact Assessment and Expertise," Gegham Nazaryan, an MP from the "Armenia" faction, asked Deputy Minister of the Environment Hakob Simidyan why the hills and mountains adjacent to the Yerevan-Sevan highway are literally disappearing.

"The main direction of the wind entering Yerevan is from the north, and the wind carries the sand from these open mines and dumps it on Yerevan. Isn't this a concern for the government, or is it considered normal to bring and eliminate the mountains? Tomorrow or the day after, if the technology allows, we can even remove Aragats," emphasized the MP.

According to Deputy Minister Hakob Simidyan, the government is concerned about the issue. He assures that everything related to the Ministry of the Environment's areas of responsibility is being addressed. He stated that the changes in the law have been initiated precisely for the purpose of providing greater operational capabilities.

The newly developed law also includes a phase for land use reclamation, which means activities aimed at restoring disturbed areas and returning land areas to a harmless state.