Mtkvari Threatens the Village

The Mtkvari River flows close to the village of Skra.  Generally, there is a good view in the area, but when it rises then the village is threatened. The Mtkvari has altered its bed and now is destroying the river bank. The population has been demanding to repair the dam in vain.

Several days ago, the river flooded the houses of villagers. Most local people have to sleep at their relatives’. Natela Gogitidze is a disabled woman of the first group. Since the Mtkvari rose she has spending nights at her relative’s. The lonely women cannot enter the house.

The majority member of the district Municipality and governor of the village applied to the local and central authorities for help, though in vain. Malkhaz Kakashvili, majority member of the Municipality from the village of Skra, said that representatives of the Environmental Ministry visited the village and examined the river-bed.

“In the past, holiday-houses used to be on the river bank. The representatives of the Ministry said that they did not have enough money to waste on temporary houses. However, they promised to carry out repair-works in the area where people constantly live. In fact, people have already settled there and live there permanently. In addition to that, there are nearly 280 agricultural plots on the river bank, as well as pastures and if the river-bed is not changed in time, 200 acres of land is threatened to be totally destroyed by the river. During the years, the river Mtkvari has changed its bed in the direction of the village. Very soon the railway road will also be in danger,” said Kakashvili.

Mamuka Lafachi, the governor of the village of Skra, said that he would definitely apply to the Environmental Ministry for help.

The question was raised at the meeting of the Gori District Municipality several times; however the problem cannot be resolved without the support of the central authority.

Forty-five families in the village of Skra, which are constantly threatened by the flooded river, urge the government to send necessary equipment to the village. They are ready to work themselves and turn the river in its old bed again.

“The plots have been flooded for several days and all plants have blemished. We seem to remain without any harvest. The risen Mtkvari threatens the perennial plants too,” said one of the villagers, Venera Tskhovrebadze.

“We have applied to Jumber Patiashvili, the Majority MP from the Gori District, as well as to the Gori Municipality, and to the Environmental Ministry. We asked them to resolve our problems but nothing has been done yet,” said Rusudan Dokadze, a victim of the flood.

Khvicha Okropiridze, Deputy Governor of the Gori Municipality said that the Municipality has already petitioned to the Environmental Ministry. “We cannot do anything at the moment. First of all the water level should lower. Then we will plan the repair works together with the Ministry. Supposedly, the works will start in the summer,” said Okropiridze.

The local authority hopes that the problem, the villagers have been worried about for many years, will be resolved this year. Giorgi Abuladze, current head of the Bank-enhancing Department at the Environmental Ministry was the Deputy Governor of the Gori District and he knows the problem very well. Villagers hope that his replacement into higher position will assist the resolution of the problem.

Thea Tedliashvili, Gori