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

Despite Natural Disaster, Government Reduced Funding of Bank-Reconstruction Activities 5 Times

March 22, 2010

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

From March 13 to March 17, natural disaster caused damage of 1 455 000 GEL in Kakheti. In autumn of 2009, the damage of the natural disaster amounted to 9 million GEL. According to environmentalists, in 2010 elemental geological processes will become very active after high humidity in Kakheti region. More than 50 villages in the region are in danger. Despite the dangerous situation, the government, in comparison with last year, reduced funds for the bank-reconstruction activities from 9 million to 1, 800 000 GEL.

According to official data, on March 13-17, Sagarejo district was mostly damaged during the natural disaster. Flooded ravines damaged the protecting walls, several residential buildings and tens hectares of agricultural plots.

On March 16, flooded River Ilto destroyed the road on the 24th kilometer of Akhmeta-Tianeti high-way and isolated 7 villages from the surrounding area. River Ilto damaged the source building of drinking water in Akhmeta district. Tens of houses were flooded in the village of Kvemo Alvani. The river damaged the plots in Akhmeta district.

In Gurjaani district flooded Cheremi ravine destroyed the only road linking to the village of Cheremi. The plots were flooded in the villages of Chandari, Shashiani, Vejini, Bakurtsikhe and Kolagi.

The River Didkhevi flooded two houses in the village of Artana in Telavi district and destroyed the village road. The natural disaster damaged the drainage of drinking water in the village of Shaluri. The flood destroyed the bridge over the River Lopota and path in the village of Ikalto.

River is threatening the village of Satskhene in Kvareli district from both sides. If the bank-reconstruction activities are not carried out on time, the flooded rivers might take the village into Alazani River.

Specialists say the situation is very urgent in Duruji River Ravine. Since 1990s the river bed has not been cleaned. Nowadays, the river is higher than the residential area of Kvareli.

“The ruins brought by the river has been collected in the area for the recent 20 years and buried the protective dams. Even a small flood can destroy the dam and overflow Kvareli,” said doctor of technical science, Professor Anzor Sakandelidze.

Head of the department for geological danger and geological environment management within the National Agency of Environment Emil Tsereteli said the situation is very grave.

Duruji first destroyed Kvareli in 1832. The next tragedy happened in 1904 – torrent, stones and road-metal brought by the river destroyed the entire town; it carried the children in their cradles away from houses. In 1906, with the imitative of Ilia Chavchavadze protecting dams were constructed on the river Duruji which protected the town before 1949. In 1949 the river-flood shook the entire Soviet Union; the torrent attacked military base, where part of military aviation, which participated in the capture of Berlin, was deployed. Within several minutes 56 people died among them 54 were pilots. A lot of cattle died, the gardens and vine-yards were destroyed.

Specialists predict the situation is particularly urgent in Ilto ravine. If landside gets active on the south spole of the Caucasian Range, two villages of Shakhvetila and Bakilovani in Akhmeta district located in the ravines of Ilto and Alazani rivers will face serious danger. Village of Akhasheni in Akhmeta district, Telavi-Gombori motor-way in Telavi district, Gurjaani town in Gurjaani district, villages Kardenakhi and Kodalo, Sighnaghi town in Sighnaghi district and some areas in Nukriani-Sighnaghi motor-way; villages of Didi Chalauri, Verona, Gombori in Sagarejo district, and close to Patardzeuli ravine on Tbilisi-Sagarejo motor-way are in danger if the landslide gets active on the both spoles of Gombori mountain.

Flood can wash away and accumulative processes might develop on both spoles of Gombori Mountain, on south spole of Caucasian range in Kakheti region.

Stone-mud and water-stone flood might originate on Gombori Mountain in almost every valley and ravine. In this case, the towns Sagarejo, Gurjaani and Telavi, villages – Manavi, Kvemo Kandaura, Kakabeti, Kardenakhi, Anaga, Vakiri, Bodbiskhevi, Old Anaga, Bakurtsikhe, Kolagi, Vejini, Akura, Kisiskhevi, Tsinandali, Shalauri, Ikalto, Khodasheni, Akhasheni fields, Kojori, Atskuri and Kistauri are threatened with landslide.

According to environmentalists, we should expect the floods in the ravines of the rivers Ilto, Stori, Didkhevi, Lopota, Chelti, Intsobi, Duruji, Bursa, Avaniskhevi, Shorokhevi, Kabali, Baisubani, Shromiskhevi, Lagodekhiskhevi and Ninoskhevi. In this case, the towns Kvareli, Lagodekhi, villages – Laliskuri, Pshaveli, Saniore, Napareuli, Almati, Sabue, Eniseli, Kabala, Gremi, Karajala, Baisubani, Ninigori, as well as Akhmeta-Lagodekhi and Akhmeta-Tianeti motor-ways are in danger.

Banks can be washed away in the ravines of rivers Ilto and Alazani in the area of the villages of Chachkhriala, Sabua, Naduknari, Shakhvetila and Chartali; on the area in the south of the village of Shakriani, on the 62nd kilometer of Lagodekhi-Akhmeta motor-way; on the north of the villages of Erisimedi and Sabatlo; in the ravines of the rivers Didikhevi, Lopota, Intsoba, Chelti, Duruji, Bursa, Avaniskhevi, Shorokhevi, Areshi, Kabali, Baisubniskhevi, Shromiskhevi, Lagodekhi Ravine, Ninoskhevi and Matsimitskali.

According to Emil Tsereteli, the region shall be under permanent geo-monitoring and all preventive measures shall be taken promptly. He said by 2010, 60 residential areas and 410 residential houses are under observation of geologists.

Despite urgent situation, the government, in comparison with the last year, reduced the funds for bank-reconstruction activities from 9 million GEL to 1, 800 000 GEL. Not a single tetri was allocated from the central budget for the bank-reconstruction activities on Duruji River.

“We plan to restore the destroyed wall but not a single tetri is allocated from the budget. Dam on Duruji River was built when Ilia Chavchavadze was alive. Since then, the ravine has always had problems and required permanent reconstruction. We cannot afford to make the river-bed. 9 million GEL was allocated from the central budget for the bank-reconstruction activities but now only 1, 800 000 GEL is allocated for the purpose. Nevertheless, more than 350 units shall be repaired. But we cannot do it with the money,” said Tariel Beridze, head of the bank-reconstruction department within the Environmental Ministry of Georgia.

When processes are developed on the background, the economical damage of the country ranges from 100 to 150 million USD per year. During extreme activities of natural disasters the damage is much higher. According to statistic data, prevention sums are at least 40 times less than the damage caused by natural disaster. Liquidation funds can resolve only 1, 4 % of problems. And above of that, only one out of 70 victims was compensated by the government.

News