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Forests Are Numbered in Samtskhe-Javakheti Region; People Are Afraid to Be Frozen in Winter

September 18, 2007

Samtskhe-Javakheti Region faces serious danger-people might remain without fire wood this year though it is the only source for them to warm their houses in winter. Only Borjomi is supplied with gas in the region.

Winter starts in October in Akhalkalaki district and lasts till May. There is terribly frost during six months in the area; sometimes the temperature falls to 25-28 degrees below zero. Thus, local people start to collect fire wood for winter in spring. Despite that, most part of Akhalkalaki population could not buy wire food for winter because of high price on it that ranging from130-140 USD to 200 USD.

Socially excluded people cannot buy fire wood at all.

Artur Pogosian has a wife and four children. Nobody works in their family. So, increased price on fire wood will cause serious problems for them.

“We will freeze by all means, I cannot tell you anything more,” said Artur Pogosian in an angry voice.

Ofelia Minasiani is a resident of the village of Majadia. She said that their family needs fire wood not only to get warm but to bake bread. Increased price on wood caused serious problems for them.

“I do not know what to do. I collected money but the amount of wood I bought will not be enough for winter either,” she complained.

In Ninotsminda they sell fire wood not according to cubic meters but according to “rows” on the lorry. One row costs 200 USD.

“You need to burn at least four rows to warm family properly. So, how can impoverished people pay eight hundred USD? Should we steal money?!” asked Anaida Eremian.

According to the Georgian Government’s resolution, dated by May 23 2007, municipalities were apportioned several acres of forest to supply their population with fire-wood.

Khachik Aivazian, chairman of the Akhalkalaki Municipality, said that on September 15 they would decide how much wood would be given to population. Unlike previous years, local residents will be severely controlled on using the fire wood. In addition to that, trees were marked in the forest later. Most part of population cannot enter the forest and cut trees there. Thus they think in winter they will freeze.

Population of Aspindza Municipality and villages complain about the estimated amount of fire wood. Guram Kapanadze, a resident of Aspindza, said that in winter people will die of cold.

“The situation will be terrible for people. In Aspindza a family needs at least ten cubic meters of fire wood in winter. But the government decided to give only five cubic meters to a family. Anyway, they do not give it either. The trees we have to cut are in remote places and it is difficult to reach them. I do not know how we will undergo this winter,” said Kapanadze.

Shota Zedgenidze, the head of the Aspindza and Akhalkalaki Forest Administration, stated that the fear of population is unreasonable.

“The company that won tender is numerating the trees in the forest. As soon as they finish it, we will let people to cut trees. As for the amount of fire wood, we will give them from five to eight cubic meters. Deputies of all villages submit collective applications for wood together with the list of applicant families. So we will give the wood according to those lists and nobody will freeze in winter,” said Zedgenidze.

Gulo Kokhodze, Aspindza-Ninotsminda-Akhalkalaki

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