Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

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Otar Shamugia gets familiar with the ecological situation in the village of Tsana, Kvemo Svaneti region.

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Mr. Otar Shamugia got acquainted with the ecological situation in the village of Tsana, Kvemo Svaneti region.

There are waste disposal (landfill) sites containing arsenic in the villages of Tsana and Uravi. The landfills were created in 1993 when mining and chemical plants were closed. Currently, arsenic ore deposits have been conserved and arsenic is no longer produced in this area. 

‘’ The successful implementation of environmental reforms, as well as planning and developing efficient solutions to current challenges is one of the top priorities for our government. We still have a legacy of hazardous waste from previous centuries, and among them are the sites in the villages of Tsana and Uravi. Concrete steps should be taken as soon as possible. We will start fencing the area very soon, and at the same time, we will prepare an environmental impact assessment document and implement the project with the involvement of international experts. I believe all activities will be completed by the end of next year, and this problem will be solved once and for all," stated Mr. Shamugia.

Under the decree of the Government of Georgia, the LEPL Agency of Nuclear and Radiation Safety is authorized and defined as the agency responsible for the systematic management and maintenance of waste disposal sites generated by the recycling of arsenic-containing ore in the territory of Tsana village, Lentekhi municipality, so that active steps should be taken to solve the mentioned problem. The complete fencing of the polluted areas is planned, and rehabilitation works will start next year to completely fix the problem.

The State Representative of Racha-Lechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti region, Mr. Papuna Margvelidze, Majoritarian MP of Racha-Lechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti region, Mr. Gocha Enukidze, Deputy Minister Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili, representatives of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and relevant services of the Ministry accompanied the Minister in the village of Tsana.

According to the State Representative, Mr. Papuna Margvelidze, the state has started working on a project to solve the 30-year-old problem in the region. The implementation of the project will result in waste utilization and conservation.

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"I am glad that together with the Minister, we have visited very important places. We will spend a week to learn more about the country’s capacity for chemical security," said Mr. Schuyler Bates, International Program Manager at U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency.