Tense Situation in Syunik Province: Border Residents' Orchards Have Completely Dried Up

SHAMSHYAN.com has received alarming reports from numerous residents of the consolidated Meghri community in Syunik Province, who have stated that they have not received irrigation water for 45 days, resulting in the complete drying up of hundreds of hectares of orchards, causing them millions of drams in damages.

In a conversation with the media, Agarak residents stated, “It has been exactly 45 days since our orchards have received water. Come and see for yourselves, you will be frightened. They keep saying the pump is broken; it has been like this for months. Even today they claimed to have turned it on, but after just five minutes, it broke again. The orchards have dried up, and the crops are all gone. It is unbearable.”

“We have every kind of tree; everything grows in Meghri: grapes, apricots, figs, pomegranates… Last year, I bought 100 saplings for 2000 drams each. The Turkish people would not do this to the Armenians, yet some individuals are doing it to us. In 45-degree heat, for 45 days, the orchards have not been watered. Every day they say ‘tomorrow or the day after,’ but we cannot keep our orchards alive with lies, and later we will have nothing to feed our children,” they added. “At least 100 households have suffered losses.”

They also mentioned that everyone is aware of the issue, but no one is taking action. “We have paid our dues on time, so why are we facing such a situation today? I will go and collect the money for the saplings I bought one by one. Let people come and see what is happening here.”