The Armenian Eco Front (AEF) has urged the RA Ministry of Nature Protection to take a closer look into the company now operating one mini hydro power-plant along the River Martsi in Lori Province based on a number of violations the environmental group has observed.

The company, Argishti 1 Ltd., now wants to build a second plant along the river.

At a March 12 public hearing regarding the proposed second Marits River plant, most residents in attendance voiced their strenuous opposition.

The AEF says that the company’s operating Marits River Plant #2 suffers from a number of problems including a non-working fish passageway and a less than adequate outflow to sustain the river’s ecosystem.

The AEF has called on the ministry to assess the impact that the first plant has had on the local environment and to check for any violations (tree cutting, etc) that have taken place during the construction of the second plant.

The AEF has also called on the ministry to provide the blueprints and environmental impact assessment documents for the Marits River #2 Plant, either directly to them or to make them public via the ministry’s website.

For further information readers can access the AEF’s Facebook page.