ArmInfo. The implementation of the first component of the USAID program "PURE Water - Participatory Utilization and Resource Efficiency of Water" was completed, the total cost of which is estimated at $ 1 million. The director for implementation of the programs of the Sustainable Development Fund Armine Tuhikyan told ArmInfo correspondent on March 29 in the fields of the working meeting of the initiators and participants of the.
According to her, the first component envisaged conducting a study in the legislative field with the aim of identifying gaps that hampered effective water use. A.Tuhikyan noted that on this basis an appropriate strategy was developed with the participation of lawyers and international experts.
The second component provides for the protection of the interests of villagers who, having no water resources for irrigation, is forced to migrate from the country. To this end, according to Tuhikyan, mechanisms will be developed for public control over water quality and effective use. The third component of the program will be aimed at raising the level of education. "We intend to develop an educational program for different audiences, from kindergartens to households, most of whom do not have the necessary information," she said.
In a conversation with ArmInfo, Deputy Minister of Nature Protection Khachik Hakobyan noted that 6 communities of Ararat and 6 communities of Armavir regions are beneficiaries of the program. In particular, he noted that a digital map is being developed to obtain an accurate picture of groundwater, and 20 points of automatic water resources management will be installed in the first half of 2018. he stressed.
Expert of the PURE Water program, researcher at the Environmental Law Research Center of the Yerevan State University, Heghine Hakhverdyan, noted that the main focus of the program is to involve residents of these communities in the discussions and decision-making process related to water resources management. "In the short term, the main task that we have included in the agenda is the introduction of a system of public control over water quality and water supply," the expert said.
The Sustainable Development Fund , and the ESU Environmental Law Research Center implement the program.
