Trees Cut Down to Build New Hotel

Another story that I'm too disgusted to even type.

The grove near Aghayan 19 and Teryan 56 no more exists. Two days ago the residents of those houses woke up to find out that the 20 healthy trees of the grove have been chopped down. They could not prevent the trees from being cut as the policemen did not allow them to interfere. Several residents managed to take photos with cell phones.

The plan to cut down the grove was created in 2002 by Nushikyan Association which intends to build a four-storied hotel instead. The project had been rejected more than once but in 2006 it was finally accepted.

The residents of the nearby houses have created a committee protecting their rights, with Rouben Torosyan at the head. They have sent letters to Robert Kocharyan, RA Prime Minister, the head of the Police, as well as the RA Ombudsman and the Public Prosecutor. Mayor Yervand Zakharyan had promised that the trees would not be cut down.

Capitalism over common sense, as always. When will it change? When will Armenia itself be uprooted for the construction of a series of pipelines or something completely devastating on a massive scale?

What I do like about this story is the democratization of media: people with cell phones. Imagine if they had not been there: would this story have had the same impact? Doubtful.

Source: A1+