On September 24, at 11:30 am, the Campaign Swim Safe participant organizations held action nearby the so-called tower at the Tbilisi Sea, where citizens artificially arranged a beach years ago and swim there without the supervision of a rescue team.
During the summer time, dozens people die in the sea, in artificial water reservoirs, lakes and rivers in Georgia. The problem is created by spontaneously arranged recreation zones near the water bodies, where the help of rescue teams is not provided and safety of people is not ensured. Lack of warning banners and weak early warning systems is also problem. It is necessary to inform the society about the risks on water bodies timely and effectively.
At the Tbilisi Sea, the territory of the so-called tower, where the Iori River flows into the water reservoir through engineering channel, is considered to be one of the most dangerous sites on the water body. According to the journalistic investigation of the Studio Monitor – Death Zones in Georgia, on August 4, 2016, nine-years-old Giorgi Dzuliashvili drowned in the water near the beach in front of his mother.
The Campaign Swim Safe calls on the Tbilisi City Hall to study how safe swimming is in the Tbilisi Sea, where citizens have artificially arranged recreation zones. At the same time, it is necessary to evaluate sanitary-hygiene conditions of the water in the reservoir, which is the main source of drinking water for the Tbilisi population.
Campaign Swim Safe was launched on July 16, 2018 with the initiative of Ana Dolidze, Human Rights Center, CENN and Progress Center. The Campaign unites civil organizations and activists and aims to combat mortality on the water bodies in Georgia.