Wastewater Flows from Nahatak Tailings Reservoir into Debed River, Resident Reports

Wastewater is flowing from the Nahatak tailings reservoir of the Akhtala Mining and Processing Plant into the Debed River. This was reported by Arayik Babayan, a resident of the Shnogh community. Accompanied by the environmental organization ecoLur, he documented how the polluted water flows towards Debed, which the locals use for irrigation.

According to Babayan, “The water is coming from the Ayri Gorge, from the Akhtala plant, I think it comes from the tailings reservoir. We water with this water; the trees have dried up—25 to 30 trees, my ducks, and cows have perished. I had 60 ducks, and only 3 are left. There are neither frogs nor fish in the water we use for irrigation.

On February 17, I sent a letter to the Akhtala Mining and Processing Plant, and today is March 1 with no response. I requested compensation for the damages—100,000 drams per tree—and I demand that no further damage is caused. I expect the government to be vigilant,” Babayan complained.

ecoLur is forwarding the alert to the Environmental and Mining Inspection Body.