A New Cholera Hotspot Emerges in the Heart of Yerevan Due to Inaction by City and District Authorities

For over a month now, residents of Zarav Aghbyur Street in Yerevan have been unable to receive a clear answer about who is responsible for the unsanitary conditions surrounding a grave-like pit at 22 Zarav Aghbyur Street. On November 5, in an interview with shamshyan.com, the citizens expressed their frustration: “Two months ago, heavy machinery came and dug the pit, telling us that an elite building would be constructed here. To be honest, we were surprised how a high-rise building could be erected in such a place where people can barely pass by. After digging this massive pit, they left. The result has been that for over a month now, this area has been in an unsanitary condition. Sewage fills the pit, and when we turn to the Kanaker-Zeytun District Administration, we are told that it is not their problem, and that we should contact the city hall. We reach out to the city hall, and again we are told that it is not their problem and to contact the district administration. It’s a complete joke. We don’t know who will take responsibility and who will eliminate this unsanitary cholera breeding ground. They keep saying they are fighting against coronavirus. How is virus transmission supposed to be controlled in such conditions?

The city authorities and their satellite district administrators frequently proclaim that Yerevan is a city to love, and that it is one of the oldest cities in the world. Who has seen such conditions in one of the oldest capitals in the 21st century? At least now, let the responsible parties feel some pangs of conscience and quickly rectify this unsanitary situation; otherwise, the problem will only worsen with all its consequences. As for who the owner is, we do not know. The city hall and the district administration have the means to find the property developer and compel him to eliminate the foul smell that is permeating an entire neighborhood.