Reports on Environment and Urban Development for Alaverdy

GEO ALAVERDI: ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

performed in the framework of Marz development program, in 2005, showed that the level of social vulnerability of the population in Lori Marz (35,5) is lower by 1,1% from the total level of social vulnerability in the Republic.

Table 4.4: Representation of vulnerable groups in the Marzes of RA (2005)

Representation of vulnerable groups in Lori Marz, % from the total population of the Marz

Large

Unemployed Elders

Vulnerability index

families

children

Orphans

Refugees

including

Disabled,

Allowances

Lonely elders

Lori Marz

5,1 3,9 9,6 19,1 11,6 9,0 5,8 29,4 35,5

Yerevan 4,4 2,1 9,8 25,0 12,9 4,9 4,6 9,2 31,7 Total in the RA 4,2 3,2 10,1 24,2 12,2 12,3 7,2 17,3 36,6 Source: “Social-economic development program of the Lori marz of the Republic of Armenia for 2009- 2012”, fi nal draft, Vanadzor 2009 Even though the vulnerability index in Lori is lower than the total for the Republic, however Lori comes second after Shirak by the number of allowances, the reason for which is the location of the latter in the disaster (earthquake) zone. Even though there are improvements in some indicators, the comparison of the data from the Marz to the average data from the Republic shows the general negative demographic condition of the Marz: in terms of continuous decrease in the number of the population, overall aging in the population groups, lower labor capacities and payment rates. In Tumanyan region, the population of which comprises 16,1% from the whole population of the Marz, and which includes four urban (Alaverdi, Tumanyan, Akhtala and Shamlukh) and 27 rural communities, the work of the mining and metallurgical facilities has the most signi fi cant impacts on the levels of poverty and social vulnerability. For the last 4-5 years (till the world fi nancial crisis of 2009), the slight reduction of the poverty levels in the Tumanyan community occurred because of opening of 700 vacancies in the Alaverdi ACP and Akhtala metallurgical facilities. The four urban communities of the area were formed mainly around these large industries, thus the existence thereof depends on the proper activity of those industries.

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CHAPTER 4. IMPACT OF THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental Knowledge for Change