Thursday, 6 August 2015
PM visits Healthy Mushroom LLC production facilities to address air pollution issue
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan visited today Healthy Mushroom LLC-operated production facilities in Kotayk Marz. The Premier was accompanied by Minister of Nature Protection Aramayis Grigoryan, Minister of Healthcare Armen Muradyan, Governor of Kotayk Marz Karapet Guloyan and the representatives of the Ministry of Nature Protection-affiliated Environmental Inspectorate.
The Head of Government first inspected the process of production of mushrooms, after which he got acquainted with the problem of air pollution caused by the use of specific raw materials.
Hovik Abrahamyan took the opportunity to talk to the residents of adjacent settlements in order to listen to their concerns and arguments. In turn, the management of the company introduced a program aimed at addressing the problem in the near future. New technologies were said to have been introduced in the workshop for the production of raw materials over the past few days, which helped deal with air pollution in a certain way.
In an interview with news reporters, Hovik Abrahamyan said the purpose of his visit was to find solutions to existing problems. “If new filters are installed in the workshop and bad odors disappear, the company will continue its activities as it employs several dozen people. Environmental regulations must be respected. It will be the first task. At the same time, we must do everything to develop the production of mushrooms in the country, which is important from an economic perspective. Should the new filters prove unable to eliminate the bad odor, there will be no alternative and we will shut up the facility as the population’s health is a prevailing concern for us,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the issue will be discussed within the Government for appropriate action: “Our decision should be justified and fair,” Hovik Abrahamyan concluded.
In turn, Minister of Nature Protection Aramayis Grigoryan expressed conviction that all the problems will be resolved soon and the bad smell will disappear forever. As he said, the company has already made specific investments as a result of which the production technology will be completely replaced and the situation settled in the next few months.
