Recently the media has been reporting news about the possible rise in gas prices after 2013 Presidential Elections. Surprisingly, the society of Armavir, especially socially insecure families, are not worried about the fact.
After the previous rise in gas price Armavir marz with its rural communities refused heating their houses with gas, instead, they were using firewood. To begin with, they cut down the trees of their personal plots, and then they returned to the forgotten habit of buying firewood.
In this situation the agricultural farms, which are engaged in livestock, particularly cattle are in advantageous position. In the villages, for example in Khanjian, it is even calculated how much cattle one should have to ensure the heating of his house with cow-dung during winter season.
Majority of villagers of the marz is heating their houses without consuming gas. Therefore, they are not interested in any gas price rise. Gohar, a villager of Khanjian, says that she has already forgotten the place of the gas stove, as she cooks on the stove.
Urban communities of the marz are facing almost the same situation. Vulnerable families are refusing to heat their houses with gas. Instead, those families collect firewood from different places or, if affordable, they will buy wood during summer. Here, cow-dung is replaced to polyethylene packages and useless worn-out tires.
Urban people, who hardly manage to heat their houses with gas, determine that in case the price increases they will return to firewood heating. Thus, the cost will be reduced and the house will be much warmer.
In addition, about 7 percent of the population lives in multi-storey buildings in the marz, the rest – in their own houses. The latter should pay at least 50-70 thousand drams per month for the consumed amount of gas during winter.