Company renews works on Namakhvani HPP; police takedown protesters’ tents
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, February 1
The company Enka has renewed works for the Namakhvani hydropower plant on January 30. Locals have been protesting against the construction of the HPP cascade in the Rioni gorge for months.
According to those protesting, the company doesn’t take their interests into account. They believe the construction of the massive HPP cascade would harm the environment and the people living near the gorge.
The announcement regarding resuming the construction works was made by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natia Turnava who said that the company continued the works lawfully.
The minister once again showed her approval of the project against the backdrop of hundreds of locals protesting the process of building the HPP, camping there even at night. The protests started 96 days ago.
Yesterday, police demolished the tents set up by the activists. Varlam Goletiani, one of the local activists protesting the HPP, talked about this with media representatives. According to him, one of the protesters was also detained.
Green Alternative responded to the incident on the construction site of Namakhvani HPP near the village of Joneti. The organization calls on the government to stop using force “against the people affected by the project, who have been protesting against the construction of the Namakhvani HPP for 96 days, and to take into account their just demands.”
According to the Green Alternative, the steps taken by the government are totally different from the statements that were made by them over the last few weeks.
The Center for Human Rights Education and Monitoring responded to the events related to the construction of the Namakhvani HPPs on the Rioni River. A statement from EMC said the NGO considers the construction of the Namakhvani HPP to be a violation of permit conditions.
EMC initially called on the government to inspect the construction works of the company through relevant agencies. The organization noted that the government should make sure that the company carries out the project in compliance with the local laws, without endangering the environmental situation.
