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Vaziani Settlement – Homeless People and Families Threatened with Being Buries Alive

April 11, 2013

Manon Bokuchava
Information Center of Kvemo Kartli

Vaziani settlement in Gardabani district attracted public attention on March 11 when five-storied residential building # 8 partly ruined. Nobody was damaged by the incident but its inhabitants remained homeless.

A month after the incident we visited the area to find out how the government took care of the citizens. We also inquired the conditions of other residential buildings located in the area where people still live.

We found a military tent in front of the ruined building. Before entering the tent, we started taking photos of the ruins but suddenly the standing part of the building also started pulling down. People went out of the tent at the noise. We found out that after the building collapsed, part of its inhabitants, mostly men, spend nights in the tent.

“There are 12 more damaged residential buildings in our settlement. People live in all them now and of course they are under risk. As for us, we are waiting for alternative accommodations and request attention from the government. Part of inhabitants gathered here. I am and IDP and our ministry assisted me with 500 lari; however our real need is alternative accommodation,” IDP Besik Molashkhia from Abkhazia said.

Nunu Vartanyan complained about inattention from the Ministry of Healthcare. “I am sheltering the neighbor’s house. Early in the morning I leave their house and come here because I am ashamed to spend all day with them. I need expensive medicines because of my illness. We petitioned to the Ministry of Healthcare and they had not replied yet. People need timely attention and assistance in similar situations. We do not know what to do; they neither offer real accommodation nor pay attention to us.”

Residents of the ruined building also request the government to pay attention to other residential buildings too standing nearby. We examined the residential building # 9 together with local inhabitants; its basement is flooded because of damaged sewerage system. The roof has been damaged for several years and the water has leaked down to the 5-4th floors; the trace is easily detected on the walls.

Mother of two children Thea Papiashvili said they live in the building under risk because they do not have alternative accommodation. Residents of top floor rooms showed us broken dishes and explain that moving walls smashed the glass in the cupboard at night and it broke the plates. That building is standing next to the ruined one and 20 families with underage children live in it.

Chairman of Gardabani municipal board Zaza Oniani traditionally refused to make comment on the problem because of “being busy.” District interim governor Gela Khutsishvili said every service unit of their administration is involved in this case. District administration’s representatives explained that the problem is complex; one of the main obstacles is that the building belongs to the Ministry of Economy and part of citizens was not registered in it though they claim they lived there.

“Initially, when the building collapsed, we had four families who lived in the building at the moment. Later, their number increased. I do not want to say that somebody tries to take advantage of the situation but accurate lists shall be created.

As for neighboring buildings, I do worry about them and we will appeal to all relevant institutions to examine them in order to avoid next tragedy. I personally examined those buildings carefully and I think people shall not live in there. However, relevant institutions shall also inspect the buildings,” interim district governor Gela Khutsishvili said and added that the four families will receive accommodations in near future. As for other families, their case will be studied first and only after that they will receive alternative accommodations.

We asked why it was impossible to finish creation of the list for one month and the district governor said: “Although I did not occupy the position during the incident and have come in office only for 14 days, I accept your remark and would like to convince you that today all our departments work on this problem.”

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