Didvela Residents Blocked the Road

Mari Tabidze, Bagdati

On December 16, locals blocked the road in Didvela village, Bagdati district. They request rehabilitation of the village road where Ltd SakMilMsheni still carries out work.

Ltd SakMilMsheni has been replacing pipes of West and East Natural Gas System for a month and half. So, vehicles and trucks permanently move about the village.

Villagers claim the road was damaged by transportation of heavy vehicles. The protest organizers said different infrastructural projects, launched in the area for the last few years, seriously damaged the village road.

“We request thorough rehabilitation of our village road because it was completely ruined by unfinished infrastructural works. Ambulance cannot get to the village because of bad road; people cannot properly travel. Transport cannot move in rainy and snowy weather at all. We cannot go to market because we cannot take purchased products home,” said Natela Gvaladze.

Local budget allocated 27 000 lari for the rehabilitation of the road but it was not enough for the implemented job and situation did not change for better. Villagers blame the attorney of Didveli village in unreasonable expenditure of funds. They said prosecutor’s office shall interrogate every person to find out where and how the allocated sums were spent.

Village attorney Murad Labadze said: “This road was rehabilitated in the frame of village development program. You can find relevant documentation in the district administration. However, I agree that the money was not enough for the complete rehabilitation of the road. I, as a village attorney, had not connection with the sum in accordance to the law.”

Chief engineer of the SakMilMsheni Ltd also attended the protest rally. Merab Kheladze said “when installment of pipes for natural gas is finished, the road will be rehabilitated. However, we had to stop work because of ongoing protest. We are not guilty because we are implementing the government’s order. Residents of this village have been promised to rehabilitate the road for many years but they were deceived. Now, villagers want to use this important project and demand rehabilitation of the road in exchange of allowing us to continue our work. I cannot say whether it will do any good for the common cause.”

Demonstrators said locals will not allow the Ltd to continue their activities in the village until their demands are satisfied.