Azerbaijan's top prosecutor addresses ongoing pollution of Okhchuchay River PHOTO

Pollution of the Ohchuchay River by mining waste remains a significant environmental issue, Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General Kamran Aliyev has said.

His remarks were made during a scientific-practical conference titled "Environmental water offenses contributing to climate change," held in Nakhchivan, Caliber.Az reports.

Aliyev emphasized the critical nature of the conference, particularly as it follows a similar event in Khankendi. He outlined the historical context, explaining that during the prolonged conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Araz River was deliberately polluted with chemical and radioactive waste. This destructive practice has not ceased, and the repercussions are ongoing.

"The rivers flowing from Armenia into Azerbaijan, notably the Araz and Ohchuchay rivers, continue to be tainted with mining waste," Aliyev stated. He highlighted that the pollution of these rivers is not just a past issue but a current environmental challenge that persists.

The Okhchuchay River, an 83-kilometer left tributary of the Araz River, has a basin area of 1,175 square kilometers and originates from the Gapidzhig mountain on the Zangazur ridge. Flowing through the liberated Zangilan region before joining the Araz River, the Okhchuchay predominantly traverses Armenia’s Syunik region, historically known as Azerbaijan’s Zangazur District.

Due to transboundary water flows, approximately 70 percent of Azerbaijan’s groundwater resources are sourced from neighboring countries. The Okhchuchay River, which serves as a repository for industrial waste from Armenia, is heavily contaminated by pollutants from the Kapan and Gajaran mining industries. Industrial wastewater is often discharged into the river without treatment, exacerbating the pollution levels and rendering these water resources unsuitable for use within Azerbaijani territory.

The pollution of the Okhchuchay River also affects the Araz River, the second-largest river in the South Caucasus, as it flows into it. This contamination has a significant impact on the quality and reserves of the Araz River’s water.