YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2007 the RA ministry of environmental protection conducted checkings at 21 woodworking workshops in Ararat, Lori and Tavush marzes, as a result of which acts on administrative fines of 1.12 million drams (about 3.7 thousand USD) were drawn up based on the facts of environmental violations revealed at these workshops. The minister of environmental protection Aram Harutyunian said at the December 25 press conference that as a result of checkings at forestries of Megri, Ijevan and Noyemberian, 563 cases of illegal tree felling were revealed, and the respective acts and reports on compensation of damage of the total amount of 24 million drams were drawn up. The land protection-related checkings revealed 80 violations, based on which 53 acts on administrative fines of a total of 3.77 million drams and 20 reports on damage compensation of a total of 11.83 million drams were drawn up. In particular, the damage done to nature by Deno Gold Mining CJSC as a result of woodland pollution in the process of operating the Marjan mine in Syunik marz was estimated to make 7.8 million drams. Control and measurement work on Earth interior protection and use was carried out at 215 Earth interior using organizations in 2007: 64 acts on administrative fines of a total of 5.38 million drams were drawn up based on the facts of 68 violations. 169 reports on measurement were filed to tax bodies. Checkings are still underway in Shirak and Aragatsotn marzes. A. Harutyunian said that 6 decisions to stop operation of Earth interior using organizations were made this year. According to him, hidden ore minerals: 958.54 kg of gold, 1.444 tons of silver, 1.53 tons of selenium and 1.672 tons of tellurium were discovered as a result of re-checkings at Meghradzor and Sotk mines of Ararat Gold Recovery Company LLC.

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