Preparing Resettlement Action Plan for UGS in Georgia Project

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Status: Completed

Full Activity Title: Preparing Resettlement Action Plan for Ninotsminda Underground Gas Storage Project

Location: Gardabani and Sagarejo rayons, Georgia

Activity Dates: December, 2010 – February, 2011

Source of Funding: Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

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Project Abstract:

For the Constriction of Underground Gas Storage (UGS) in Georgia, with an estimated capacity of approximately 450 million cubic meters, out of several alternate sites the government of Georgia selected the village of Ninotsminda, located within Sagarejo Municipality, 40km east of Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. The Ninotsminda Gas Storage shall increase Georgia’s security of supply and provide means for meeting seasonal balancing requirements and effective management of gas flows. Apart from gas storage itself, construction of connecting pipeline is planned within the scope of the project. The pipelines will be connected to the main gas pipelines of the country and supply gas to the UGS.

As a condition of funding construction and rehabilitation projects, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, one of the main sponsors of the UGS in Georgia Project, requires to prepare resettlement action plan in compliance with its social policy, in order to address negative social impact that may arise from the implementation of construction works.

Association for Protection of Landowners’ Rights signed the contract with the Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) for preparing Resentment Action Plan (RAP). CENN, in its turn, is responsible for preparing Environmental Impact Assessment within the scope of the contract signed with Ramboll Oil & Gas (ROG) which has conducted Pre-Construction Design Study of UGS in Georgia.

Within the scope of the project APLR conducts the survey/inventory of land parcels falling within the construction corridor of the supplying gas pipeline and UGS area and identifies all affected assets and their owners on site, collects respective data from property owners, defines the function and category of the land affected, as well as crops harvested on these lands; the process of inventory also involves collection of information on all units (buildings, farms, auxiliary structures such as garages, warehouses, fencing, etc.) that may be located within the construction area.

While conducting the survey, land ownership documents (in case of availability) are usually checked; data on land parcels and their owners are collected through questioning landowners themselves, representatives of local municipalities and registration offices.  

Information obtained as a result of inventory is kept at the special computer database through which the data are processed; this computer database may be also used during the RAP implementation.

The principles related to land acquisition and resettlement set forth by the MCC and Georgian legislation are thoroughly analyzed and respective gaps identified; APLR also defines compensation methodology, expected timeframe for RAP implementation and estimates approximate budget for RAP.

Preparation of RAP will ensure full and fair compensation for the landowners’ affected.