Plane-tree alley cut down in Sochi

Felling of the alley of 50-year-old plane-trees was launched in Tchaikovsky Street in Sochi at midnight on January 22. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about it by residents of the neighbourhood who heard noise of falling trees and chain saws.

Residents also called the militia. Employees of the Road-and-Post Service Ustyan and Adzhiev arrived at the place and stopped the intent of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent to make photos and video footage of what was happening.

It is planned that a parallel road will be built instead of the alley. According to the above Adzhiev, a permit to cut trees in the period between December 27, 2010, and December 31, 2011, was issued by Igor Shakhov, head of the forest and park department of Sochi. During this period several hundreds of southern exotic trees should be cut in the place where they plan to build a road between the rivers named Sochi and Psakhe.

Sochi residents have repeatedly held rallies and pickets "against liquidation of Tchaikovsky Street by the parallel road. They had also addressed collectively and individually to the Olympic Prosecutor's Office, Investigatory Committee, Russian Government and President. However, nothing was done so far on their applications.