Women saving Garni – Arusjak and Sara

For two brave women struggle for Garni started 2 years ago. Educated and knowledgeable, loving homeland like family, these women made the fight life style of their community. Long and slow struggle, however, intensified this year on May 16, when the heavy construction equipment entered the Azat gorge.

The point is that the World Bank provided a loan of $ 30 million to the Government of the Republic of Armenia for the improvement of the irrigation system. Of this amount, 10.4 million was provided to “Kaghtsrashen Irrigation System” program, the implementation of which A. Ayvazyan and Sara Petrosyan considered to be destructive.

According to the program, it was planned to build a water intake structure on the river Azat and pipeline, about 900 l / s of water to the pool outlet for pumping Kaghtsrashen to provide irrigation water to 12 villages of Ararat. The program was designed to provide irrigation water to Narek and Kaghtsrashen villages.

Garni residents and environmentalists believe that dehydration may occur –  if the project is implemented, Azat River and Garni village and surrounding areas will face an environmental catastrophe After consuming possible means of struggle the townsfolk of Garni took extreme steps, on May 21th they closed the road leading to Garni.

Full text in Armenian