Vladikavkaz: opponents of "Electrozink" protest against reduction of sanitary zone

Today, Vladikavkaz hosts a protest action against the work of the metallurgical enterprises Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) "Electrozink". The protesters express their outrage at the reduction of the sanitary protection zone around the factory from 1000 to 300 meters.

The picket that began at 1:00 p.m. in Victory Square is 20 people strong, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

According to German Revazov, the organizer of the picket and an activist of the movement "Stop Electrozink!", officials of the "Rospotrebnadzor" (Russian Federal Agency for Consumer Supervision) for North Ossetia claim that the reduction of the sanitary zone to 300 meters had been approved.

"It was decided in the authoritarian way in Moscow. In our opinion, it's utter absurdity. Moscow is unaware of local specifics and climatic and geographical conditions of the location of the city. Finally, and most importantly, they failed to ask citizens," Mr Revazov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The picketers are concerned that after the reduction of the sanitary zone, the "Electrozink" will cease to fulfil its obligations to improve the territory, reclaim the land and conduct biological prophylaxis of the population.

Let us remind you that protests against the operation of "Electrozink" are held regularly. The protesters believe that the factory bosses and local authorities fail to take effective steps to address the environmental problems of Vladikavkaz.