A few years ago, when government meetings in Grozny discussed the
state of the food industry, there was always an order from the
presidium to replace all drinks on the tables with water produced by
the republic. "Nalchik", "Slavyanskaya" or "Achaluki" mineral water
was placed on the administrators' tables.
Recently, the limited company "Chechnya Mineral Waters" achieved a
production breakthrough by signing a long-term agreement on supplying
"Sernovodskaya" mineral water supply to the Moscow market. The factory
that produced the famous Chechen mineral water had stood in ruins for
many years, but in 2007 it was defined as an object of social
importance and reconstructed. Today "Sernovodskaya" mineral water is a
trademark of Chechnya's food industry and has become one of Russia's
top five mineral waters. At the start of this year the "Sernovodsky"
factory participated in the 17th international exhibition of food
products and food stock for it's production PRODEXPO-2010. Unlike
other waters extracted from boreholes, this water comes from sand and
rock mountains as a spring, located in a pollution-free region of
Chechnya, from a depth of 350 meters. The factory itself is built on
top of a spring. The water undergoes mechanized filtering. Besides its
amazing taste, it also has health benefits.
Local specialists note that official studies of the springs began in
1773. The first doctor to use Sernovodky spring water as a curative
was Doctor Berzeyn. He made the first description of the springs in
Russian in the "Military Medical Magazine" in 1849.
The opening of the Chechen mineral water factory is the first step in
restoring the famous Sernovodsky resort. The Chechen authorities
confirm that Chechnya should become one of Russia's tourist and resort
centers, as it has all the necessary climactic and geological
conditions. The popular resort of Sernovodsk-Kavkazsky was built in
the XIXth century, with 2000 people from all over the country visiting
the resort each year. But after two military campaigns the sanatorium
was left in ruins.
"Recently, the sanatorium was visited by its first patients. People
that have problems with their motor-support apparatus, digestive
tract, and neurological, urological and dermatologic problems will
receive treatment. The sanatorium's buildings have lobbies for
recreation and winter gardens, and the bath compartments for men and
women have been restored. There are cabinets for ultrasonic,
electrocardiogram examinations, wax and paraffin treatment,
laboratory, hydro-massage cabinets, circular, rain-type and stream
showers, and four chamber whirlwind baths for the arms and legs", -
says medical director Rizvan Adayev. In addition, the complex has a
physiotherapy ward, with inhalation and massage treatment cabinets.
The sanatorium can receive over 300 people a day. There are 12 hotel
rooms on the third floor of the complex for people receiving
treatment.
However, the Baryatinskaya resort-sanatorium, located in another part
of the republic in the Goriacheistochenskaya Cossack Village, is on
the brink of destruction. Private housing is being constructed over
sulphur baths. Goriacheistochinskaya (or Hot Springs) was built during
the reign of Catherine II. Historians say it is the second resort,
after Mineral Waters, to have been built in the North Caucasus. Leo
Tolstoy was a visitor, and in the late XIXth and early XXth centuries
it was the most popular sanatorium in the North Caucasus. No other
water could compete with its sulphur springs with their curative
characteristics. Water reservoirs built in the form of forest steps
were later built here. The water filled the top reservoirs, running
down into the lower steps. It was the easiest and, at the same time, a
unique method for cooling sulphur water.
During the Great Patriotic War thousands of wounded soldiers received
treatment and rehabilitation here. "Our territory has cultural and
historical value, providing treatment and preventative cures - leaving
it idle would be like madness", the head of the local administration
said. Nevertheless, there are rumors that the healing properties of
the land's clay has attracted local businessmen. They plan to build a
pharmacological factory here, although no real money has been invested
so far.
Timur Utsayev, Grozny. Exclusively for VK
