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

Lemonade “Imedi” Is Produced in Anti-Sanitary

September 20, 2007

Encouraged Individual Entrepreneurs Behave Impudently 

Individual Entrepreneur, Otar Kaikatsishvili has rented part of the building of Sanitary Supervision Department in Rustaveli Street # 138 in Kobuleti. Kaikatsishvili produces lemonade “Imedi” in one room and bath-room in unhygienic conditions. According to the Georgian Legislation, before 2009, Service Office for Food Safety and Quality does not have right to raid enterprises.

There is a heap of bottles in front of one-storied cracked building. One part of bottles is broken. The entrance is full of pots; they are nearly twenty and occupy the whole room. There is only one small table at the window. A woman who works there said that they use those pots to gas lemonade. Her answers to other questions are-“I do not know”.

Luckily, she told us the number of Kaikatsishvili’s mobile phone without hesitation. Anyway, it was not a problem; the number was written on the window glass.

The work in the bath-room attracts attention. The door is open and bottles in the bath can be seen.

The bath is full of dirty water and there are dirty bottles in it. A box of washing powder “Bingo” is near the bath; they seem to wash bottles with that powder. The bath is old and dumps. Lemonade “Imedi” is produced there.

The owner of the entity, Otar Kaikatsishvili, is a resident of Kobuleti. He pays thirty lari as a rent. He said that they started production a year ago. It was examined but nobody discovered anything wrong in it. However, the photos taken in the enterprise prove the opposite.

Kaikatsishvili said that he produces lemonade when he has orders. “We produce 400-600 bottles when it is funeral or wedding party in the city. Otherwise there are three shops in Kobuleti who buy 100 bottles only.”

Lemonade “Imedi” is sold in one of two supermarkets in Rustaveli Street and it costs 30 tetri.

“I pay thirty lari to the budget every month. I have cash machine too,” said the entrepreneur.

Ramaz Surmanidze, the head of the Food Safety and Quality Service Office within the Adjara Autonomous Republic’s Department for Veterinary and Plant Protection, said that they do not have right to raid enterprises. “Before 2009 we cannot raid enterprises according to the legislation. It is kind will of the state in favor of entrepreneurs. However, 90% of them have problems and must be closed down because of unhygienic conditions in them.”

Human Rights Center’s Adjara Office is deeply concerned regarding the situation in the building of lemonade “Imedi”.

“Lemonade, produced in similar conditions, is sold in shops and can seriously damage the health of customers. According to our legislation, the entrepreneur whose production threatens the health and life of people shall be punished. Thus, we call upon corresponding bodies to react on the situation,” said Lado Mgaloblishvili, coordinator of the Human Rights Center’s Batumi office.

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi 

News