Monday, July 1 2019 14:08

ArmInfo. In 2020, Armenia will close the issue of providing housing for families left homeless as a result of the devastating Spitak earthquake of 1988. This was stated by  Chairman of Urban Development Committee  of Armenia Vahagn Vermishyan  on  July 1 at a press conference.

According to Vermishyan, by the decision of the government of 2008,  the beneficiaries of the housing program of the Shirak, Lori and  Aragatsotn regions recognized 5396 families. "Housing problems of  families recognized by the program's beneficiaries should have been  resolved within two years, but even after 30 years the issue has not  been resolved," he said.

Thus, in 2008-2017 the state has fulfilled its obligation to solve  the housing problem of 4.839 families of the Shirak, Lori and  Aragatson regions, having allocated 65 billion drams to this. In  2018, 460 million drams were allocated, 44 families were provided  with housing. In 2019, the state treasury provided 560 million drams  for housing provision for 60 families. By 2020, the state is ready to  allocate 3 billion drams and close the housing issue of the remaining  453 families affected by the earthquake. "The 2021, we plan to start  without the wording" disaster beneficiary, "he said.  But, as the  head of the Committee pointed out, this does not mean that in these  areas there will be no residents of temporary wagons (temporary  houses). As Vermishyan explained, these groups of citizens, and  according to the department, about 25 thousand people (7,219  families) are not considered beneficiaries of the program and the  state has no obligation to provide housing to them. They will be  disassembled and used as building materials. "They have an  appropriate housing estate where they can move to live," he  explained.

To solve the housing problems of this category of citizens, the Urban  Development Committee proposes, including the construction of social  apartments. Following the example of Norway, where about 20% of the  population lives in social apartments, Vahagn Vermishyan proposes to  start building social apartments. They will be provided with minimum  living conditions, will be given out for rent at a very symbolic fee,  but tenants will not be able to design and design the apartment  themselves. The head of the Committee abstained from specifying how  much the construction of social apartments for these families would  cost, but said that such apartments cost 20% less.

On December 7, 1988 at 11 hours 41 minutes local time in Armenia a  catastrophic earthquake occurred. A series of aftershocks in 30  seconds almost destroyed the city of Spitak and inflicted severe  destruction on the cities of Leninakan (now Gyumri), Kirovakan (now  Vanadzor) and Stepanavan. A total of 21 cities suffered from the  elements, as well as 350 villages (of which 58 were completely  destroyed). At the epicenter of the earthquake - the city of Spitak -  its strength reached 10 points (on a 12-point scale), in Leninakan -  9 points, Kirovakan - 8 points. The 6-point earthquake zone covered a  significant part of the territory of the republic, tremors were felt  in Yerevan. According to specialists, during the Spitak earthquake in  the zone of rupture of the earth's crust, energy equivalent to the  explosion of ten atomic bombs was released, each of which was similar  to the one dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The wave caused by the  earthquake circled the Earth and was registered by scientific  laboratories in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. The earthquake,  according to official data, killed 25 thousand people, 140 thousand  became disabled, and 514 thousand people lost their homes. The  earthquake damaged about 40% of the industrial potential of the  republic. General schools for 210 thousand students, kindergartens  for 42 thousand places, 416 health care facilities, two theaters, 14  museums, 391 libraries, 42 cinemas, 349 clubs and houses of culture  were destroyed or came to an emergency condition. 600 kilometers of  roads, 10 kilometers of railway tracks were put out of operation, 230  industrial enterprises were completely or partially destroyed.