Gov’t says mining companies must stop polluting environment

Georgian Agriculture and Environment Minister Levan Davitashvili has stated today that mining company RMG Gold and Copper is polluting local environment- air, ground and rivers in Bolnisi region in east Georgia.

Davitashvili stated that the Rich Metals Group, a company registered in Netherlands, must cease polluting  the environment and the Mashavera, Poladauri and Kazretula rivers in Bolnisi region, which affects the local environment and inhabitants. 

The Rich Metals Group was given a "reasonable” time of 9 months to suspend the pollution of the Mashavera River and six months to arrange relevant infrastructure to prevent the pollution of two other rivers, Davitashvili stated.

Rich Metals Group says they have an environment protection plan, elaborated with the involvement of the international company Golden Associates. Photo by the Agriculture Ministry press office.  

The minister said that in one month’s time the company must reveal a plan on how it will carry out anti-pollution activities.

The ministry inspected the whole territory of the RMG Gold and Copper, 1,228 hectares in total, in 2015-2016. 

Rich Metals Group is one of largest enterprises in Georgia and in the Caucasus region, employing 3,000 people, 90 percent of which are locals.

The company official web-page reads that in 2011-2014 it invested about $ 300 million in Georgia.