Monday, 11 December 2017
Karen Karapetyan Briefed on Sevan National Park SNCO Reform Process
The Sevan National Park reform process and the results of SNCO activities were discussed during the consultation held at the Government. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan was first briefed on the results of the tender for Sevan National Park SNCO development master plan.
It was reported that the document will be submitted to the Government by next March. The Prime Minister instructed to involve international experts in the development work.
The meeting next reviewed the activities carried out by Sevan National Park SNCO. It was noted that Sevan National Park had submitted 82 lawsuits to Courts of First Instance, with the claim to levy a total of 65 million drams as stipulated in the contracts of land use, 42 of which featured a clause on contract suspension.
14 contracts have been terminated during the year. A total of 875 land use arrangements have been signed between the National Park, on the one hand, and legal and natural persons, on the other. Of 298 households, 298 are exploiting the land.
Garbage disposal contracts have been signed with 260 land users, and regular waste disposal activities are carried out on the site. All businesses involved in the area have been notified of the need to install wastewater treatment plants. In general, there are 7 cleanup stations functional in the given area, with 3 new stations installed in 2017. Cleanup work has been carried out on 78.103 hectares of water-covered land, with reforestation and patchwork implemented on 8.18 and 38.644 hectares respectively.
Vahe Gulanyan informed that a large number of coniferous trees have been registered in the park, and during this year support measures have been implemented and in case of appropriate financing, it will be possible to establish 50 hectares of high-value forest at the expense of the above mentioned growth.
The Sevan National Park has submitted five investment projects. The State Committee for Urban Development representatives visited the area of investment, as a result of which four projects were approved, one was amended. Currently, the projects are under development, after which they will be submitted to the Government. Negotiations are underway with 15 investors to implement other projects.
It was reported that one of the priority tasks set out in the Sevan National Park management plan is to define the boundaries of disputed areas between the Park and surrounding communities, for which the SNCO is now conducting surveys and measurements.
Sevan National Park Director Vahe Gulanyan emphasized that a key component of the new management plan is to promote business activities in the Park. In particular, it is planned to organize forms of recreation according to modern requirements of tourism: beach recreation, sailing sports, hiking, fishing, recreational fishing, underwater hunting, bird-watching, biking, boating, horse riding, paragliding, agro-tourism, winter recreations, etc.
Programs will be implemented to promote fishing and crayfish hunting, basin, pond, grassland fish farming, intensive orchards and greenhouse gardens, collection, processing and production of medicinal plants, and the generation of alternative energy. The business plans for the above-mentioned economic activities will be presented after approval of the Sevan National Park development concept.
Prime Minister Karapetyan expressed satisfaction with the work carried out and assigned the heads of respective government departments to assist the management of the Park with the implementation of the aforementioned programs.
The Prime Minister expressed conviction that the proposed programs will help boost economic activity in the region, as well as develop tourism and the activities of the National Park. Karen Karapetyan also instructed to take stock of the operating and idle facilities located in the National Park.
