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Tunnel Is Being Built, but Houses Are Being Destroyed

January 22, 2008

“I took hens out of the hen-house and I entered there to live. Initially I slept in the car; but I could not stand the cold there. Now I live in the hen-house,” said Rezo Bagrationi, (a royal surname of Georgia) a retired person. The house of Bagrationi is so damaged that he cannot stay inside like all his neighbors. Other members of his five-member-family live at their relatives’.

Because of cracked soil and damaged houses several families living in the village of Sakhalvasho located near the Chakvi-Makhinjauri Tunnel, remained homeless. People claim that cracks on the soil and houses resulted from the construction of the tunnel. Homeless people have been urging for help in vain.

The soil is cracked in the densely populated territories. The village road is damaged too which is used by several dozens of families. Scared population requested geologists to explore their territory; the homeless people urge for the alternative accommodation from the government.

The house of Murman Bagrationi, whose family consists of twelve members, collapsed several days before the New Year. Family members like other homeless people sheltered their relatives.

“First cracks on our houses appeared 4-5 years ago when they started explosions to cut the tunnel. Later the construction was ceased but now they have renewed it again. The land sank as a result of explosions. When they lead a new road the soil lowered. We have been arguing and urging for help since that time. We have applied to almost all governmental bodies but in vain. When Aslan Abashidze was the head of the Adjara Supreme Council, the government compensated the family of Aslan Bezhanidze. They bought a house for them and the family moved from the area. At that time we were told we did not deserve the compensation but promised to reinforce the soil. However, here is the result of their promises.  One house are ruined; other two are collapsing,” said Jemal Bagrationi, local resident.

Local people said that Tengiz Zoidze, Kobuleti District Governor, visited them; however his offer was not acceptable for them. “They offered us a land and five thousand lari but we did not accept their offer because our problem is caused artificially…Initially, when we urged the government for help, the reason for their refusal was we wanted to get richer at the expense of state budget. They sent engineers from the Administrative Board, and took photos of our houses.’

Sixty-eight-year-old Rezo Bagrationi cannot remember any fact of landslide in the area before the tunnel-construction started. “We have no other way out. If we are allowed to cultivate the land, I will be satisfied with a four-room-flat instead of my two-storied house. The government has destroyed it and they should reconstruct it.”

Damaged families own nearly 3 thousand sq. meters of land. Their main harvest is tangerine. Each family receives 7-8 tones of tangerine from their plots. Thus, damaged people demand corresponding compensation for their property. “They should either build a similar house for us or give alternative accommodations.”

Family members of Rezo Bagrationi are sheltering at various families. “I am here, other members of my family live at a relative’s. If there has remained at least one honest person and learns about our problem, they should assist us immediately.”

“We hope we will be assisted. They promised us and we are waiting. My furniture is at my neighbor’s house but they are also afraid; the walls of their house are cracked too and is getting worse day-by-day,” said Lia Beridze.

Another customer of the Chakvi-Makhinjauri tunnel’s construction is the Department of Georgian Highways within the Ministry of Economic Development. “DTS Ltd” is carrying out construction activities of the tunnel. Administration of the Batumi Department of Highways stated that they do not have any information about the compensation of the families victimized as a result of tunnel construction.

On September 30 2005 President Mikheil Saakashvili opened the tunnel. The length of the tunnel is 657 meters and it shortens the four-kilometer-long-road.

As for the 28 families damaged by the construction of the first magistral of the tunnel, they have been urging for assistance for three years already. “The case was discussed at the Adjara Supreme Court and it did not satisfy the suit. The decision was appealed at the Georgian Supreme Court; but the latter sent the case to the Batumi Civil Court. At the moment the case discussion is ceased because the court demanded to explore the territory. However, the exploration process is prolonged,” said Malkhaz Abuladze, a local resident.

Residents of the village of Sakhalvasho have not decided what to do: to appeal to the court or not because they still hope the government would assist the village.

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi

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