Dagestani residents stop construction works in Samur Forest

Local residents did not allow builders to drill wells in the Samur Forest, activists reported.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in March, the Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) called the Samur Forest one of the five oldest forests in Russia, which were endangered. On April 2, Sergey Ivanov, Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, stated that construction of a water line in the forest is unacceptable without environmental expertise. On July 20, it became known that Arif Kerimov, the leader of the Lezghian national-cultural autonomy, drew the attention of the Russian President to the threat to the Samur Forest from the construction. Vladimir Putin promised to consider the problem. However, later, it became known about the resumption of the construction.

On August 3, residents of the village of Samur learned that the construction works were again started in the forest. "At once, 20-30 people gathered and the crowd went there. When they saw us, they started to gather their equipment and run away. If it were a state project, would they escape like that?" said a local resident as quoted by the "Novoe Delo".

According to Nizam, one of the activists, the villagers "have once again warned the workers that they will not let them destroy the forest." "We approached them and said that the people still opposed the construction. And we are waiting for a response from Vladimir Putin," the activist said.