Slonim: felling of the trees is explained by their being dangerous

Slonim resident Ivan Sheha received a response from the Hrodna Regional Committee for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, signed by the head of the committee I. Shmakau to a collective complaint of the Slonim residents in connection with the destruction of a forest in Voikau Street in the Albiartsin suburb.

According to the reply, ten hundred-year-old pine trees in the green zone have been cut down and eliminated due to the fact that they were found to be dangerous according to the act of the Slonim Forestry from 4 July 2013.The recognition of the pines as “dangerous” was initiated by the Slonim District Executive Committee who sent a letter of 2 April 2013 to the Slonim forestry, as a result of which the forestry determined ten dangerous pines in plot No.3 of square 156 and issued the permission for their felling to the public utilities, which cut them down on 10-11 July 2013 and removed the stumps. In this case, as it is written in the answer, has been infringed nadglebavye live coverage, resulting in damage to the environment. Accordingly, an administrative lawsuit has been filed against the public utilities. The Slonim forestry was also submitted a letter with the demand of prior notification of citizens and the Slonim city and district inspection about the planned felling of trees in the forest.

Commenting on the letter, Ivan Sheha said: "It is quite a strange response, especially in the part concerning the "dangerous trees". What is their danger, and for whom were they dangerous? These were powerful pines which would have stood for many decades! In our neighborhood all the residents know that the trees have been destroyed because it was necessary to pave the road to those houses in Vaikou Street, located near the forest. And the road was needed because the Slonim District Executive Committee allocated the site for the construction of a private house just on the road, which already existed, as a result of which the residents of the street were deprived of the opportunity to drive up to their houses. The destroyed trees prevented the construction of this road, and therefore became "dangerous". This is the truth. And what is written in the answer is a lie."