Georgia: The Employees of the Lower Kartli Regional Authority’s Environmental Supervision Department, within the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture, revealed three facts regarding the illegal acquisition of a quarry in Rustavi and Garabna municipalities.
The Environmental Supervision Department of Georgia shared the details about this information on its official Facebook page on February 20, 2026, Friday. The Department also shared the glimpses of the works along with its own glimpses.
According to the agency, illegal extraction of inert materials remains one of the most frequent environmental violations in the region, posing serious risks to river systems and surrounding communities. Authorities say monitoring efforts have been intensified to prevent similar offenses.
In Rustavi, on the right bank of Mtkvri, a citizen illegally obtained sand of 100 cubic meters. As a result of the violation of the law, the damage caused to the environment is more than 1800 GEL. The fact contains signs of criminal offenses; materials, for the purpose of further response, were sent to the appropriate authorities.
Near villages – Nazarlo and New Samgori, violators illegally obtained 30 cubic meters of sand-gravel and 15 tons of clay-plaster using special equipment. The total amount of damage done to the environment is about 1000 GEL.
The illegal acquisition of fossil fuels causes great damage to the environment. For example, the illegal mining of sand and gravel can include: deformation of river beds, collapse of banks, soil erosion, as well as flooding of populated areas, washout, decrease in water levels, and destruction of ecosystems.
In order to prevent damage to the environment, protect natural resources, and minimize violations of law, the Environmental Supervision Department crews carry out 24-hour non-stop patrolling throughout the country and respond immediately to each message received on the Ministry’s hotline (153).
