Air Quality Has Improved. Vehicle Movement Has Not Stopped, Right? Says Yerevan Mayor

Since yesterday, a wind has penetrated the region from the north, resulting in a noticeable improvement in air quality, significant enough to be comparable to summer indicators. This was reported during a meeting of the Yerevan City Council by the acting head of the Environmental Protection Department, Sirarpi Haikazyans.

“We are not satisfied merely with the presence of a cyclone or anticyclone; in two decisions by the council, we will introduce additional changes aimed at reducing emissions from anthropogenic sources. One of the changes pertains to council decision 405 N, which will implement additional restrictions on construction sites. The second involves amendments to council decision 48 N, which requires improvement standards. This will apply to mining areas,” he noted.

Mayor Tigran Avinyan directed questions at his colleagues, “Mr. Khojyan, you haven’t stopped construction in the city, have you? You haven’t prohibited vehicle movement in the city, have you?” to which it was responded that “no, we have not.”

“Mr. Begoyan, you continue your programs and it is unlikely that you have created new green spaces spanning thousands of hectares in the city,” highlighted Avinyan.

Avinyan reiterated that the air quality issue in Yerevan is largely conditioned by air inversion, climatic conditions, and geographical location. “However, we must continuously monitor extensive greening efforts outside Yerevan to create a certain barrier against the winds that bring that air into the city. It’s a difficult statement to make, but I believe it is achievable, and we must work in that direction,” emphasized the Mayor of Yerevan.