An environmental picket passed off in Stavropol

On May, 13, "Environmental patrol of Stavropol region" held a three-hour picket within the framework of the action "Protection of the city forests". The action was authorized and passed without incidents, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

During the picket the ecologists collected signatures under an "Open message" to President and Prime Minister of the country and Chairman of State Duma. The ecologists demand toughening penalty for refuse tips in the forest massifs, i.e. increase of a fine for a singular episode from 25 to 100 thousand rubles. In case of a repeated violation the "Environmental patrol" suggests to enact criminal liability up to imprisonment.

Moreover, in its appeal the "Environmental patrol" demands to introduce amendments to the Forest Code totally prohibiting issue of administrative permissions on construction of capital buildings in all the categories of forests. The "Environmental patrol" demands criminal liability, up to imprisonment, for the officials of municipal and regional level who issue permissions of changing the borders of the existing forest massifs.

Representative of the "Environmental patrol" Andrey Evdokimov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the picket the day before became the fifth one within the framework of the action held every month. The previous picket was planned for May, 6, but it was not authorized by the municipal authorities under the pretext that holding any protest actions was prohibited in Stavropol from May, 1, till May, 9, as an anti-terrorist security measure, so the picket had to be deferred.

According to Evdokimov, all in all over 800 signatures under the appeal were collected during the five pickets and when the number of signatures approximates to two thousand the activists will send it to the authorities of the country.