ArmInfo.Some problems arose during the implementation of the first sanitary landfill construction project in the Kotayk region of Armenia. RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan stated on June 5 in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia during the discussions on the implementation of the country's 2023 state budget.
According to him, it was initially planned that the landfill would start operating in August of this year. Much has already been done in this direction, the landfill itself has been built, some garbage collection vehicles and 7 thousand urns have been and continue to be imported, but the issue of supplying special equipment has stalled. The problem is that 4-5 tenders have already been held, which have not yet identified a winner. Now, negotiations are underway with the partner, Eurobank, which is financing the program, to change the terms of the competition. "If it were not for this circumstance, we would have already witnessed the start of the landfill in August," Sanoyan noted.
Earlier, he told journalists that the project was nearing completion. In particular, according to him, the construction of the landfill has already been completed, and the corresponding stations have been installed in Martuni and Akunk. Despite this, as the minister pointed out, the program has already deviated from both the original implementation schedule and the estimate (upward). Sanosyan did not specify the new deadlines and the amount of additional funding.
He said that the possibility of implementing similar programs on the principle of "one landfill for two regions" is being studied in other regions of Armenia. "There were certain difficulties with Yerevan (with the construction of the Yerevan landfill), at some point the project was suspended. Now the partners are promoting the program," the minister explained. In April 2021, it was reported that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU), together with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, officially launched the construction of a new solid waste landfill in the city of Hrazdan in the Kotayk region. It was noted that the new solid waste landfill will comply with EU standards and will greatly contribute to improving the environment in Hrazdan and eleven other settlements. The new landfill will be equipped with modern solid waste management processes and will include the collection and disposal of solid waste in communities. The landfill will be located next to the Yerevan-Sevan highway and will serve twelve settlements, seven of which are in the Kotayk region (Hrazdan, Abovyan, Nor Hachn, Byureghavan, Charentsavan, Yeghvard, Tsaghkadzor), and five in the Gegharkunik region (Sevan, Vardenis, Gavar, Martuni, Chambarak). The construction of the landfill was supposed to begin in 2020 year, and will be completed in 2022, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the deadlines have changed. The construction of the first sanitary waste landfill in Armenia was launched in mid-April 2021. For the implementation of the program, Armenia was provided with a loan of 5.5 million euros from the EBRD and a grant of 3.5 million euros from the EU Neighborhood Investment Program. A grant of 2 million euros was also allocated by the Eastern Partnership Energy Efficiency and Environment Fund (E5P).
