Business Operators Required to Clear Snow from Their Properties and Surrounding Areas, Says Yerevan Municipality

The cleaning of snow in the capital is primarily carried out by the municipal organization "Yerevan Waste Management and Sanitation," while business operators are also responsible for the cleaning of sidewalks. Back in 2009, the Yerevan City Council established clear regulations regarding the mandatory improvement of immovable properties and the adjacent areas for public use. According to this decision, business operators are obligated to not only clear the fallen snow daily but also remove accumulations of snow and ice from the asphalt concrete surfaces and tiled areas after precipitation ceases.

"The adjacent area refers entirely to the area adjacent to the business operator, meaning up to the roadway and the edge of the sidewalk, for both improvement and snow clearing works. Business operators should primarily be interested in improvement works to increase their economic activity effectiveness and subsequently fulfill the obligations set by law," noted Aram Martirosyan, head of the legal department of the administrative leader's office in the Central administrative district.

The Administrative Offences Code stipulates fines ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 drams for non-compliance. Administrative district offices periodically send notifications to business operators, urging them to carry out the works in a timely and proper manner, but not all comply with the regulations. However, there are many diligent entrepreneurs in the city who fulfill the Council's decision responsibly.

"All business operators have been provided with the projects and schemes related to improvements to clarify their areas," emphasized Arsen Ghavondyan, deputy head of the Arabkir administrative district. "The head of the administrative district is tasked under the Yerevan Community Law to oversee the progress of these works, and the district head has the authority to impose administrative penalties on those operators who do not comply with the Council's mandates," said Aram Martirosyan.

During a recent working meeting, Mayor Haik Marutyan set clear expectations for the heads of administrative districts to diligently work towards fulfilling the Council's decision. "Every time you enter a city where everything is organized in accordance with the law, you understand that city authorities operate much more easily and are not overwhelmed by merely applying the correct laws. That is, business entities with their adjacent sidewalks, communities with their yard areas. The system must be well organized; it cannot be placed solely on one institution," remarked the Mayor.

It is noteworthy that the mandatory improvement requirement involves not only clearing the adjacent areas of snow and ice but also landscaping and paving sidewalks. This approach to social responsibility is accepted in many developed countries around the world. For instance, in Yerevan's Center, there are more than 4,000 and around 2,150 business operators in Arabkir, and if each of them fulfills the legal requirements, the capital will undoubtedly be cleaner and more orderly.