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“Ranger Knew That I Was Cutting Trees” – Stories from Ateni Gorge

February 24, 2014
Saba Tsitsikashvili, Shida Kartli

Several facts of cutting firewood pulp and construction wood were observed in Ateni Gorge in January, 2014. Most facts were observed on January 22-23. Wood was confiscated in every case; the seized fire wood will be assigned to socially indigent families.

Driver of Gori-Boshuri bus Akaki Pitskhelauri was sanctioned for transporting fire-wood without relevant documentation on January 23. Representatives of the Eastern Georgian Environment Protection and Natural Resources Agency stopped him in the Railway Settlement in Gori. About 1,5 cube meters of wood was discovered in his bus; the damage to the state amounted to 32 lari. In accordance to the Article 128 Article 4 of the Administrative Code of Georgia, Pitskhelauri faced 1000 lari bail and confiscation of the wood. 

“I am a driver of the Boshuri bus. One of the local residents gave me the fire wood for my family. I often helped him – took sacks of wheat flower and other products from Gori. In exchange of that, he gave me fire wood from his house; it was just 1 cube meter. Now I know that I had to take permission for that too but it is late,” Pitskhelauri said. Judge Davit Papuashvili of the Gori district court gave verbal warning to Pitskhelauri and did not impose 1000 lari bail on him. Only fire wood was confiscated and he has to pay 32 lari to the budget. 

Third sanction was imposed on individual entrepreneur Giorgi Nadibaidze since 2011. He has a wood workshop in Boshuri. Logs scattered in the workshop were not registered in the journal. 

“They can fine us any time. Environmentalists know that similar workshops do not meet regulation requirements. Representatives of the environmental agencies will never leave workshops without fines. It was heavy snow when wooden materials were delivered to the workshop. I could not go there at night and register logs in the journal,” Giorgi Nadibaidze said. Judge Davit Papuashvili imposed 2 000 lari fine on him and reimbursement of the damage to the state. The wood was confiscated.

Ltd Jaga has wood workshop near Boshuri village. Director is Nikoloz Gugegashvili, born in 1986. He said they started working three months ago and have leased the territory. Gugegashvili said when wooden materials were brought to the lumber-mill that he could not go to Boshuri from Gori because of heavy snow. He said he was going to register the wood in the journal next morning but environmentalists arrived there earlier.
 
Boshuri resident Leri Kvelashvili has received second fine. “Unfortunately, I am an individual entrepreneur. I have cirrhosis. It is my second fine; I wanted to compensate the old fine; brought logs to the workshop, registered everything but made mistake in the measurement. I wrote its diameter was 25 centimeters while it was 19 centimeters,” Leri Kvelashvili said and asked not to impose second fine on him because had not covered old one yet. Despite his request, 2 000 lari was added to the old fine.

On January 23, 2014 Teimuraz Kotrikadze was transporting 0, 7 cube meters of firewood from Ateni; he was stopped in Gori.  Chopped tree was evaluated with 66 lari. “On that day, gas supply was cut off in Gori. My wife and child were sick and I wanted to warm house for them. We are renting a flat,” Kotrikadze said.

Mikheil Barjadze from Ateni was transporting chopped firewood around the city on January 22- total cost of the firewood was 84 lari. Andro Karelidze from Gori was detained on the scene on January 23. He was cutting trees in Boshuri village. His harm to the state amounted to 76 lari. All of them were warned and wire food was confiscated.

Kakha Sauri was detained when transporting chopped fire wood of more than 7 cube meters. He had cut only young trees. The harm to the state amounted to 688 lari. Due to large amount of the harm, 1000 lari fine was imposed on Sauri together with reimbursement of 688 lari; fire wood was also confiscated. His car will be returned only after he pays fines.

Roland Tinikashvili was detained third times. On January 22, he was transporting about 1, 74 cube meters of chopped fire wood in Gori. Ronald Tinikashvili claimed he had brought wood in November and stored in the village. When it got colder and gas supply was cut off, he decided to take it home.

Avtandil Shevardenidze from Kvemo Artsevi village was detained when cutting young trees. He was visiting his sister in Skra IDP settlement. “My sister did not have firewood and asked me to go to the forest and fetch wood. I did not know the territory well. I could not find firewood in the chopped territory and came here,” Avtandil Shevardenidze said, who caused serious harm to the state and 500 lari fine was imposed on him together with the confiscation of the firewood.

Bondo Turashvili was detained in Ateni when he was fetching chopped trees from the forest. Turashvili said the ranger had prepared the card but inspection caught me on the fact. “Ranger Giorgi Okropiridze is working in the territory. He could not manage to timely issue card on me and inspectors caught me without document. The ranger knew that I was cutting trees but I do not know why he did not issue card before,” Bondo Turashvili said. Ranger Giorgi Okropiridze continues working on the position. 

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