Gov’t says mining companies must stop polluting environment
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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.
We must define our priorities considering the country's interests and only then make a decision, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili noted while commenting on the controversial Sakdrisi Gold Mine issue today.
Every civilized country is obliged to take care of its cultural heritage, said Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili while commenting the controversy surrounding Sakdrisi Gold Mine.
Establishing the historical importance of Sakdrisi Gold Mine in southern Georgia is in doubt after the Government approved RMG Gold to resume mining at the controversial site.
The National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has welcomed the World Health Organisation’s new report in which Georgia’s results in terms of healthcare and air pollution level have shown an improvement. The improved indicators are the result of joint efforts by Georgia and WHO during last two years, the NCDC said.
Georgian Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Levan Davitashvili and head of parliament’s Environmental Protection Committee, Nino Tsilosani visited the gold mining company RMG Gold and Copper in the village of Kazreti, Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia earlier today to check how the company meets its obligation to cease pollution.
Mining company Rich Metals Group (RMG) has released 1,000 zander fish in the Mashavera River in Kvemo Kartli region as part of its environmental responsibility project, reports the Georgian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.