Urgent Issues of Illegal Sand Extraction from the Araks River Basin Must Be Addressed

Under the leadership of Acting Minister of Environment Romanos Petrosyan, a working discussion has been held regarding the issues of sand extraction from the Araks River basin. The meeting was attended by V. Terteryan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures, H. Martirosyan, Head of the Environmental and Mining Inspection Body, Ararat province governor R. Tevonyan, and Armavir province governor H. Matevosyan.

During the discussion, the head of the Environmental and Mining Inspection Body presented information indicating that there are 16 companies operating extraction rights for useful minerals and 3 geological exploration rights along the entire length of the Araks River. The inspection body has carried out surveying works in the sand basin of the Araks River, and the results have been sent to the State Interests Protection Department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia.

As a result of measures taken with the tools of the Prosecutor's Office, in cooperation with the Environmental and Mining Inspection Body and the Tax Information and Risk Analysis Department of the State Revenue Committee, numerous cases of illegal exploitation outside the allocated extraction sites were recorded involving 8 economic operators operating in the sand basin of the Araks River in Ararat and Armavir provinces of Armenia. These cases included illegal extraction of tens of thousands of cubic meters of sand and gravel, violations of rules concerning the excavation, transportation, storage, and use of land.

Based on the measures taken, the State Interests Protection Department of the Prosecutor’s Office initiated 9 criminal cases under Article 290, part 1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia for harming land, causing significant damage to the environment intentionally or carelessly, and under Article 291, part 2 for violating the rules of mineral extraction. Approximately 312,000 cubic meters of illegal sand and gravel extraction has been recorded in these criminal cases, with preliminary estimates indicating that the state has suffered damage of around 143 million AMD. Additionally, violations related to the excavation, transportation, storage, and use of land have been recorded over an area of about 113,000 square meters, causing an overall damage of approximately 10 million AMD to nature.

The preliminary investigation of these criminal cases has been assigned to the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

The governors of Ararat and Armavir regions presented the complex problems arising from illegal mineral extraction, focusing on the alterations of the Araks Riverbed, as well as landscape and soil degradation.

Acting Minister Romanos Petrosyan urged his colleagues to discuss the issue on two levels and create preconditions for solutions, each utilizing their own tools and levers to expedite its regulation. The first priority is maintaining the integrity of the Araks Riverbed, which entails powers beyond those present at the meeting, while the second is regulating the operation of sand quarries.

Meetings on this topic will be held periodically.