1,000 zander fish released in Mashavera River

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.

Over the past years the Mashavera River was so polluted that no living creatures were found in it. With the collaboration of the mining company RMG, we (the ministry) were able to eliminate the major resources of pollution. The company has been implementing a project as its environmental responsibility, which aims to return zander fish to the Mashavera River”, the ministry said.

The 1,000 zander fish were imported from Azerbaijan to Georgia. Photo: The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.

• Minister of Environment Protection visits Sakdrisi gold mine, examines anti-pollution activities

In early April 2018 RMG was given nine months to suspend pollution of the Mashavera River. Georgian Agriculture and Environment Minister Levan Davitashvili also stated that mining company RMG Gold was polluting the local environment – air, ground and rivers in the Bolnisi region in east Georgia.

In mid-February 2020, after checking the company’s anti-pollution activities in the village of Kazreti, Davitashvili mentioned that the company ‘was working intensely to fulfill its obligations’.

In the middle of February 2020, RMG Gold completed the construction of cleaning plants and drainage systems which are likely to reduce polluting Mashavera, Kazretula and Poladauri rivers in Bolnisi region.

In 2013, the Georgian government gave permission to the mining company RMG to extract gold in the wide area where Sakdrisi is located.