The Armenian government has begun developing a strategy to reduce the negative impact of subsoil use on the environment, said Armenian Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan on Wednesday.

He informed the MPs that the government initiated a number of programs aimed at the stable development of the industry to reduce the negative impact of subsoil use. 

What comes to an impact of subsoil use on public health, the relevant data analysis is periodically carried out by health ministry.

“The Armenian health ministry turned to the World Health Organization for methodological aid, which will allow better assessing the impact of environmental factors on human health,” he said adding that the draft budget for 2020 provides for AMD 413.8 million to be allocated for reforestation.

Avinyan said that the environment ministry has developed a bill to amend and supplement the forest code, according to which the concept of industrial forests will be abolished.

According to him, some new regulations for subsoil users will begin to operate from the next year.