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Levan Davitashvili: "I believe, that we will make a significant breakthrough within a year and improve ecological conditions in Chiatura Municipality "
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili, Deputy Minister of Economy Nikoloz Alavidze, Prime Minister's Advisor on Regional Development Issues, Sozar Subari and State Representative of Imereti Region, Zviad Shalamberidze met with the managers of Georgian Manganese Company in Chiatura and got acquainted with the ongoing activities.
Levan Davitashvili noted, that business creating socio-economic value by making use of resources, inputs has a proper and responsible attitude towards environmental protection and ecology.
“Today we have inspected ongoing and already implemented works performed by the company.We should note, that a progress is made in a number of areas. including a field of transportation - the company's traffic flow is completely cut off from the city; Recultivation activities has begun, which was one of the critical points in the environmental field, therefore we have received a number of comments. A lot of works should be done, recultivation activities should be continued, totally, the company has an obligation to undertake recultivation on several hundreds of hectares”Levan Davitashvili said.
According to the Minister, the company has to implement activities against water pollution.
“I think, within a year we will improve ecological conditions in Chiatura. These are problems accumulated for decades. In the last two years we achieved significant results. However, the Ministry is committed to resolving ecological issues in a way that meets the modern environmental standards ”the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture said.
In 2019 , the Company Georgian Manganese set up a new rail terminal on the 1.5 hectare, in the area of Nofi in Chiatura, where concentrates produced by the cooperators will be received and transported to Zestafoni Ferro Alloy Plant, which significantly offsets the Chiatura-Zestafoni motorway.
Prior to the installation of the terminal server, the concentrate was transported by road, causing traffic jams on city roads.
According to Merab Kiminadze, Operations Director of Georgian Manganese, after arrainging rail lanes and bridges, the heavy vehicles loaded with ore and concentrate will no longer travel in the city.
“In line with the obligations taken under the environmental policy, the company will transport the ore through railway, which will significantly offset the city's highway. From October 1, a new plant will be put into operation, which will help to reduce the environmental impact associated with mining ”Merab Kiminadze said.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture together with the authorities inspected the special equipment purchased by Georgian Manganese Company (8 special washing machines, technique and mobile car for areas difficult to access) to clean the city. Special equipment will be distributed in Chiatura and Zestaponi.
It is noteworthy, that under the obligations taken within the environmental policy, the company started to carry out technical and biological recultivation activities on the quarry area. This year, recultivation was carried out on 15 hectares of land area. At this stage, works are underway in the village Mgvimevi, ongoing activities include 9 ha, the areas of Chaiebi and Zeda Rgani , and quarry area of "Kavteladze 2".
In order to reduce environmental pollution, the company organized a special car wash at six locations in Chiatura municipality, which will significantly reduce the pollution of the paved road. All types of heavy machinery operating under the license to extract minerals will travel on the paved road only after washing their cars.
The company has started the restoration of a 2 km wind breaks on the territory of Zestafoni Ferro Alloy Plant to improve the ecological condition in the municipality. In March this year, up to 1500 saplings of cottonwood poplar and cypress were planted. Georgian Manganese plans to plant 2500 seedlings in total to restore the windbreak that has been destroyed for decades.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture together with the representatives of central and local government attended the presentation of the new environmental policy of Zestafoni made by the Georgian Manganese Company in Zestaponi Ferroalloy Plant.
The Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Nikoloz Alavidze, Prime Minister's Advisor for Regional Development Issues, Sozar Subari and State Representative in Imereti region, Zviad Shalamberidze got acquainted with the implemented activities in Chiatura municipality.