Inspection Body Discovers Unauthorized Fish Farms in Ptghni Community

In May 2020, a letter from the Kotayk Regional Administration outlined issues regarding land use compliance. Following this, the Geodesy and Land Use Control Department of the Inspection Body for Urban Development, Technical and Fire Safety conducted inspections in the Ptghni community of Kotayk Province to assess adherence to land legislation.

During the investigation, it was revealed that five different registered agricultural land parcels—totaling 3.7604 hectares, owned by citizens—had been converted into fish farming ponds without any legal documents or changes of designated use. Furthermore, the community's chief did not submit any documentation concerning changes in the intended use of these lands.

The unauthorized conversion of these land plots has led to violations of their designated uses. As a result, considerable amounts of funds have not been entered into the community's budget due to the illegality of the structures built on these lands. Based on the recorded violations and shortcomings, the head of the Inspection Body for Urban Development, Technical and Fire Safety submitted a recommendation to the Kotayk Regional Governor to hold the officials of Ptghni community administratively accountable for the violations noted in the report and to compel them to rectify the issues within a reasonable timeframe.