BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19. International organizations should react to the pollution of Okhchuchay river [running between Armenia and Azerbaijan] by Armenia, the head of the National Hydrometeorological Service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources Umayra Taghiyeva told Trend.
According to Taghiyeva, the ministry regularly informs international organizations on this issue and publishes reports on the pollution levels in the river.
“Armenia regularly pollutes the Okhchuchay river with heavy metals. The highest levels of pollution were recorded from January through March and from June through August,” she said. “A high concentration of pollutants in Okhchuchay was found mainly in its upstream near the border with Armenia.”
“According to the results of average annual studies, in the upstream of Okhchuchay (Burunlu village), the content of ammonium exceeded the maximum allowable norm by 3.4 times, manganese - by 3.1 times, iron - by 1.5 times, nickel - by 5.5 times, cadmium - 3.4 times, and molybdenum - 1.9 times,” the ministry’s representative noted.
“The river is polluted by wastewater from the Kafan and Gacharan copper-molybdenum plants in Armenia. Wastewater is discharged directly into the river without treatment, resulting in heavy metal pollution,” Taghiyeva explained.
“A high level of heavy metal pollution destroys the river’s ecosystem and its biological resources," she added.