Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Government’s Plans for Racha

May 13, 2011

www.greenalt.org

The decisions of government to hold auctions for cascade constructions and put on the market 20-year licenses have drawn public’s attention lately. These kinds of decisions are not new: Georgian government chose the mass-scale exploitation of natural resources as a main direction for economic development of Racha: industrial utilization of forest, procuring fossil and getting hydro energy resources.

These undertakings do not comply with the modern principles of sustainable development considering unique natural state of Racha: big hydro energy stations, industrial utilization of forest and mountain industry are the main factors for the degradation of environment accompanied by the natural disasters and forces eviction of populations. Unfortunately, the wider public has not showed due attention to these issues yet.

The information on construction of gigantic hydro energy station in Racha was disseminated about a year ago. The building was planned in Oni region, at the river Rioni near the village Chiora. According to the plan, the presumed dimension of the reservoir will be 210 million square meters and the power – 272 mega watts. The reservoir will occupy the territory from the village Chiora to the village Glola. Back then this information did not draw public’s attention due to the Russian military aggression. However, during the same military aggression, in the beginning of September of 2008, the Minister of Energy of Georgia stated that the building of Oni cascade had been decided and Russian company was going to participate in the tender.

It should be noted that on October 22nd of 2008 considering the results of international conference held in the city of Brussels, out of 4.5 billion dollars promised financial assistance for Georgia, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will allot 50 million Euros for the private sector. How helpful would this undertaking be for overcoming crisis in the country is a matter of special discussion. According to the report of World Commission on Dams published in 2000, negative impact of big dams/hydro energy stations on natural and social environment (forced eviction, losing traditions, destroying natural environment and cultural heritage, changing local and landscape climate) is so strong that it is no longer considered the part of renewable energy. Besides, by initiating construction of big hydro energy stations, the financing of small and average sized energy stations becomes hard. It should be noted that Georgia has big opportunities for the development of small hydro energy stations that will be profitable not only economically but in regards with the environmental protection.

The issue that the big hydro energy stations are not the source of permanent electricity needs clarification. Most people mistakenly think that as the river whirls the turbines of hydro energy stations and the water does not get exhausted in the river, the electricity will be generated permanently. This is not so in reality – the operative period for big hydro energy stations is approximately 50 years; the reservoir gets filled by the stones and gravel of the river; after the term of exploitation the dam needs to be fixed or dismantled.

The 20-year license of the resources of forest was first auctioned in 2007 when the most mass-scale action was announced in the history of the country, including 27914 hectare state forest area from Racha-Lechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti. The annual amount of wood was 38 120 cubic meters. The auction was deranged back then. On June 11 of 2009, the Ministry of Economic Development took out the forest resources of Ambrolauri Region to the auction. It should be noted that in the process of decision-making, the population was illegitimately restricted to take part in the process of auction. This happens when the accessibility of forest resources for private use is extremely restricted by the legislation. It is not estimated what amount of forest resources the local population needs and whether it is possible to gain big fiscal effect by exploitation of region forests. For instance, Nikortsminda, where the selling of licenses is decided is one of the coldest places in Georgia. A family needs no less than 20 cubic meter woods in winter in average. In these conditions, the license selling may double the pressure on the forests and exhaust the resources that will fatal for the local population.

The mining industry belongs to the work category that causes the pollution, degradation and development of natural disasters. In the territory of Racha, 40-year licenses of for procuring fossil have been sold to several large companies. Some industries can particularly harm the environment and human health.

The license has been given out to Lukhuni Darishkhani Layer Company in Ambrolauri region. The license envisages procuring of Darishkhani (9 535 tons), Antimoniti (39 500 tons) and gold (1.4 tons). The owner of this license is the join-stock company Madneuli which was bought by the Stanton Corporation, subsidiary company of Russian Promishlenie Investor. The same company owes the gold and copper layer company in Bolnisi region, in KazreTi and is one of the largest polluters of environment in the country. It should be noted that the production of Darishkhani is relate to Soviet Russia: it started in the 30ies of the last year (1936-37) when the heavy industry was under supervision of Sergo Orjonikidze.

In Oni region, in the village of Shkmeri, the licenses have been given out on the procuring of Magnum (manganese). The amount of resources envisaged by the license in approximately 2 million tons (Ltd Metex is the owner of the license). This license envisages procurement of ore by open method. This method causes the degradation of productive layer of the land, pollution of shallow and underground waters, degradation of places distinguished by bio variety. Besides, the magnum admixtures severely affect the human organism. There is a high chance of magnum occurrence in human organism during the procurement, enrichment and recycling of magnum. Magnum does not result in poisoning, but its long-term affect may be the severe intoxication of central nerve system that is similar to encephalitis Parkinson disease. Magnum causes the development of bronchial asthma and eczema. The result of long inhalation of dust is manganokonioz.

The license has been given out on the procuring of gold and it covers the regions of Zemo Racha and Lentekhi (Tsana). The owner of the license is Eastern Mediterranean Resources Public Ltd (“EMED”). It is noteworthy that among the incentives of ecological catastrophes, the gold procuring is the main one. Quicksilver and cyanide are often used for procuring gold as they are the cheapest means. Procuring gold causes irremediable and increasing damage for the environment and human health. The over ground and ground waters get polluted by the quicksilver and cyanides. Then they are transferred to the agricultural land and ultimately in human organism.

Alongside with the corresponding, tourism development in Racha has become a popular theme in the public speeches of government, except for the rehabilitation of traditional resorts (including the mineral water resorts, Utsera, Shovi and others), construction of tourist city at Shaori reservoir and creation of national park. Often there is a talk about restoration of ecologically clean agriculture and bringing Georgian wine to the world market. However, no practical steps have been taken in this regard.

When the decision-making bodies are talking about the ways of development for Racha, they should think how acceptable it will be in international market and how Khvanchkara can be considered ecologically clean, when the Darishkhan production is taking place in the same region?! How compatible are, on the one hand, big dam, forest industry, gold procuring and on the other hand – ecologically clean agriculture and national park?! How attractive will it be for eco-tourism to enter the protected territory passing artificial reservoirs and chemical factory?

Let’s imagine that the person plans to start tourist journey for the purposes of relaxation and seeing the preserved nature and finds Georgia on the map. This person will see that in several kilometers there is the industry of colored metals, Darishkhani, Magnum and forest industry, and national park and resorts. This person will no way take the direction of Racha. The one who understands the eco-tourism and appreciates his health, knows that such anthropogenic pressure can cause the degradation of nature and damage health. Ultimately, such tendencies can cause the worsening of human health and migration of people from their native land.

It should be noted that lately privatization of significant objects under state ownership are conducted with lack of transparency and often by violating law requirements; the environmental, social and other obligations of new owners are often illegally made secret; we should emphasize that procuring fossil in Georgia is not preliminary studies in terms of impact on natural and social environment; the researches of international organizations show that in the countries dependent on procuring industries there is high corruption, authoritarian governments, ineffective governance, high military expenses, the civil wars are taking place and human rights are often violated. The implementation of mass-scale projects of procuring industry often result in the forces eviction of population.

It should be emphasized that the national interests of the country – preservation of natural environment and cultural traditions, stable welfare of the population, health, security and peace are ensured by the tourism, preserved territories and development of agriculture and not by promotion of fossil and forest industry and gigantic hydro energy stations. We are calling on the Georgian population to resist the implementation of dangerous projects by using all legal means and international financial institutions – to resist from financing such projects.

News