Residents of Aragats village in Aragatsotn Province of Armenia on Sunday closed off the Yerevan-Vanadzor motorway.

They demand that operations be stopped at the two hydroelectric power plants on Gegharot River. 

Village mayor Henrik Hovhannisyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that, at the request of the villagers, operations at these hydroelectric power plants were stopped four months ago, but they have resumed Saturday.

As per Hovhannisyan, these hydroelectric power plants—which are operating for the past eight years—are causing problems for Aragats. Accordingly, the village used to receive irrigation water from the aforesaid river, and this water was clean. But now it gets this water through pipes, which have deteriorated water quality, and this water is not filtered.

The villagers blocking the road were awaiting Aragatsotn Provincial Governor Davit Gevorgyan who, as per the village prefect, was on his way.