Accused Of Polluting, Georgian Cement Giant Faces Few Consequences, 01 December 2022

Fridon Narozauli points to the cracks jaggedly running down the walls of his home in the Khevsuri district in Dedoplistskaro, a town in eastern Georgia. Like those living nearby and similarly impacted, Narozauli, 80, says the damage was done by the constant blasting at a nearby limestone quarry, the largest such site in Georgia. Much of the rock excavated here in this mountainous region feeds Georgia's cement industry, a key part of the Caucasus country's economy.

The quarry is operated by HeidelbergCement Georgia, a concrete and cement colossus in the hands of an investor group with ties to influential members of the ruling Georgian Dream party...

RFE/RL was taken to several more houses in the Khevsuri district, many of whose walls had suffered similar damage. Some residents say those with means have invested in strengthening their walls with a combination of iron and concrete...

After those complaints, HeidelbergCement Georgia did face a fine for minor operational violations and was fined a measly -- according to activists -- 5,000 Georgian laris ($1,845), according to documents from the Environmental Protection Ministry obtained by RFE/RL.

Those documents also show that more serious allegations, including illegal extraction of limestone beyond the area spelled out in its permit license, have been forwarded to law enforcement authorities for further investigation, the status of which is unclear...

HeidelbergCement Georgia denied it had violated the terms of the quarry permit in written comments to RFE/RL. "The company has no information on the case you mentioned. We would like to remind you here that the company did not conduct mining operations outside the license territory," it said in a statement. "Mining of ore is carried out in compliance with the rules. The quarry is very far from any population center." ...