Abinsk hosts rally against extraction of cement raw materials

Today, in Abinsk, an ecological rally of residents of the district was held against the sale of land plots in the mountainous part of the district for extraction of marlstone – the raw material for cement production. The action brought together about 300 people, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Let us remind you that the auction for selling plots with the total area of 25 square kilometres for development of extraction quarries for cement raw materials, located near the village of Shapsugskaya, was scheduled by the "Rosnedra" (Russian Federal Agency for Mineral Resources) for August 23, 2013. On July 13, local residents held a gathering, where they spoke against development of the deposits located in the vicinity of the village. On August 16, it was reported that the auction for the right to develop one of the three land plots put on the tender was cancelled.

The today's action was agreed with the local administration for 1000 participants, although initially the organizers applied for 2000 of them.

The rally announced establishment of a local public environmental committee and adopted a resolution demanding to change the status of these land plots and abolition of auctions on all the three of them. The protesters also called on local authorities to develop not industry, but tourism and agriculture in this territory.