Sand Mines Altering the Course of the Araks River Could Lose Mining Rights

The sand mines damaging the Araks River are at risk of losing their mining rights in the near future. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure has introduced a legislative initiative considering the imminent threat to the Araks River and the damage done to this border river. As reported by Sputnik Armenia, a package of amendments to the laws on subsoil and administrative violations has been approved by the Armenian government and will soon be submitted to the National Assembly for ratification.

Changes to the subsoil law will clarify certain aspects regarding border rivers that are currently either missing or ambiguous in the existing legislation. The proposed administrative code amendments suggest imposing a fine of 500,000 drams on operators for extracting sand from the riverbed. If the violation is not rectified within the stipulated time, the entities could also lose their mining rights.

If the proposed regulations are approved by parliament, they are expected to be implemented starting April 1, 2023.

It is worth noting that the first official mention of the damage caused to the river due to the activities of sand mines near the Araks River was made on June 30 this year, when the government allocated 22,380,000 drams to the company 'Armstroi' for restoring the riverbed and constructing a barrier.

The problem arose as a result of sand extraction from the banks of the Araks River, causing it to alter its original course between the communities of Araksavan and Burastan in the Ararat province, now flowing along the Hrazdan River bed. The government’s concerns regarding this matter are motivated not only by environmental considerations but also by issues related to the Armenian-Turkish border, as the demarcation line between Armenia and Turkey runs through the center of the Araks River, and changes to the river's course could lead to further complications.

According to official data, an area of 400 hectares has emerged between the former and current beds of the Araks River. To prevent potential issues, the government has decided to restore the river's former course by renovating the collapsed earth barrier, which measures approximately 130 meters in length and 8 meters in depth.

Additionally, during the years 2020-2022, at least 34 sand mines operated in the Araks basin within the Ararat and Armavir provinces, 13 of which were legal while 21 were illegal. The Environmental and Mining Inspection Body has not imposed administrative responsibility on identified illegal miners, stating that the discovered violations fall under criminal liability.