I have in my hands a document entitled "Declaration of intent.  Plans for  the construction of a gas pipeline from  Kovitka via Angarsk to the Russian Federation border. Irkutsk 2000." The document is 45 pages long.  On page 6 it says "…the route will pass through the upper reaches and gentle slopes of the Tunkinsky and Saram ridges, through a 1400 metre pass, then  dropping down into the narrow valley of the Bolshoi Bilcher into the Torskaya basin.

Both the route across the Saram ridge and the passage along the river "Bolshoi Bilchir" are complicated by the tendency for active fissures and seismic dislocations of the Glavny Sayaynsky fissure.  To put it simply, this region is highly prone to seismic activity, i.e. earthquakes.

The route of the gas pipeline goes through Sagan-Uguna, which will destroy its unique curative springs.  When the pipeline reaches the village of Dalakhai, on the left side of the river Irkut, it will extend along the riverbank.  It will cross the river Irkut near the village of Zun-Murino and go up into the hills, where it will intersect the extremely capricious mountain river Zun-Marin.

Consequently 127 km of gas pipeline will pass through our territory.  The western part of the Khamar-Daban mountain range starts on the southern side of the river Irkutsk.  The highest point of the range in the region is 2,758 metres (The Urgedeiskii peak).  The height of the passes are from 1,900 metres to 2,300 metres, and the bottoms of the main valleys (the rivers Zun-Murin, Boshoi Urgedei, Ekhe-Khului) range from 1,350 metres to 1,700 metres.  Practically all the river valleys are subject to seismic activity and are characterised by the presence of thick layers of ice.  The whole route lies in an area which is made up of rocks of permafrost  with a thickness of 20 – 50 metres or more.  This is an area where earthquakes occur, especially on the north face of the Khamar-Daban, which forms part of the Baikal rift zone. It is possible to have earthquakes of 8 or more degrees on the Richter scale here.

Thus it is planned that the route of the gas pipeline will run between  the rivers Zun-Murin and Kharagun.  From the geological point of view this high mountainous region poses complicated problems: many metres of karstic formations, mud streams, ice flows, and frequent earthquakes.  All this complicates the construction of the pipeline and renders the Tunkinsky section vulnerable to uncontrollable natural disasters.  The impact of development, the presence of a large number of periodic shift workers who could be potential poachers (there are not enough rangers to patrol the entire area will destroy the forest sanctuary along the pipeline, and will make the presence of the Tunkinsky National Park pointless.

On page 12 of the chapter "Brief characteristics of pipelines and compression stations" there is the following information: volume of gas to be pumped – 25 billion cubic metres a year; diameter of the pipe – 1000, 1,200 or 1,400 mm.  Amongst the proposed compression stations is a station near the village of Zun-Murino.  We are told that "a gas pipeline will be constructed underground in a ditch,  an average of 0.6 metres down in rocky soil.  In arable soil the depth will be 1.0 metres, and in other types of soil the pipeline will be 0.8 metres deep."

A huge amount of gas will be pumped through the pipeline.  The load on the pipe will be considerable. Moreover, the pipeline will be "hidden" in the ground, which makes it harder to detect leaks.  On the same page it says: "The construction of the pipeline over the mountains will be in terrace form" How are they going to build terraces?  By clearing away part of the hill and building a "terrace"? 

In order to monitor the working of the gas pipeline, provisions must be made for the building of service points, helicopter landing pads, radio stations and power lines, along the purpose-built service road. Thus a great deal of land will be expropriated for temporary and permanent use.  In our region 420 hectares  will be used for temporary purposes, and 140.4 hectares will be used permanently.  Along with all this, one should bear in mind that tracts of forest  and the agricultural land  adjacent to the gas pipeline will also be taken over.  It hardly needs to be said: we say one thing, but have twice as much in mind.

The stretch of land to be expropriated during construction of the pipeline will be 36 metres, plus the safety zone which will be at least 600 metres wide.

All the talk and intentions about special levels of care  in the National Park will remain talk.

The temptation for the inhabitants of the Tunkinksy valley to use gas was destroyed by the words of  Fyodor Selikov, deputy head engineer and head of the department of technical policy and the environment at  Rusia Petroleum. At a meeting on 5^th September 2000, he said: "In sum total the price of gas will become quite high…"

In the chapter entitled "Possible impact of the project for transporting gas on the environment" it says: "The basic negative factors arising from the installation of the complex will be the emission of harmful substances, local changes in the landscape, and withdrawal of water and oxygen from the natural environment.

Moreover, on page 27, we discover that: "Air pollution from the project will occur during construction and also during the operation of the pipeline."

During the operation of the pipeline the following impure substances will be emitted: carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, soot and sulphur dioxide.

These are harmful substances, which have a bad effect on the environment.  The enclosed area of the Tunkinsky valley will be conducive to the accumulation of hundreds of tonnes of harmful substances.

During the construction of the 200km stretch of the pipeline 1250 tonnes of carbon monoxide, 395 tonnes of hydrocarbons, 18 tonnes of nitrogen dioxide, 230 tonnes of nitric oxide, 170 tonnes of soot and 20 tonnes of sulphur dioxide will be emitted into the air.

The construction of the pipeline is planned for the period from 2004 to 2008.  It will be brought into operation between 2005 and 2007.

Special methods will be needed for construction.  It is hoped that this will bring more work to the people of the Tunkinsky valley, but it is clear that this is unrealistic, as there are no highly qualified workers in the Tunkinsky region.  And the need for skilled workers will predominate in the pipeline operation.

The following number of workers will be used for carrying out construction work:  in the first year – 1,200, second year – 4,100, third year – 4,850, fourth year – 4,800, fifth year – 2,100.  Thus a wave of skilled workers will surge into the region…

People who come to a "wild place" for temporary work, as a rule, are capable of plundering the earth around them. It's not theirs, so they don't care…

And things will not improve  for either the local people or the countryside after the construction of the Tunkinsky part of the pipeline has been completed.  Thanks to reports in the mass media, we all know about the accidents which take place quite often in gas pipelines which are being used in Russia  pipes explode, gas ignites, etc, etc.

Here is one of the most recent reports in the mass media about this, from the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda".  In the Irkutsk supplement it says that officials at Angarsk town hall sometimes have to work in gas masks "as there is a smell of gas in the town hall which is emitted from the gas pipeline which runs near by."

The writers of the "Declaration of Intent"  do not hide the fact that accidents are possible.  They even give possible causes of accidents: corrosion, faults in the pipe, natural disasters, defective building and construction work, damage to the pipeline, non-observance of operation rules and other reasons.

Yes, the pipeline seems to be the source of one hazard after another.  Pipeline accidents such as explosions and fires are relatively frequent occurrences.  And no one can guarantee that it is possible avoid accidents.  No one!

Dr. Alexander Antipov, deputy director of the Geography Institute of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was obliged to announce the following at a meeting on 5^th September, 2000: "various natural occurrences (such as earthquakes) cause dangers due to the physical location of the pipe."  From all that has been said it follows that the pipeline is capable of causing substantial harm to nature.  The animal and plant worlds, rivers, the air, the soil and the landscape will all suffer.

Nature in the Tunkinsky valley is fragile and vulnerable.  It is too dangerous to carry out experiments here.  By disturbing the self-contained  ecosystem of the Tunkinksy valley, man is continually walking on a knife-edge.  We have already lost a considerable amount of forest reserves, rivers, lakes and curative springs (such as the river Algak in the village Kiren), we have lost 27 thousand hectares of the Koimorsky lake, and consequently have changed the climate in the Tunkinsky valley.  Having built the pipeline, will we not lose the unique Siberian pine and fir forests that cannot stand the slightest pollution.  Having built the pipeline, will we not lose the unique springs of the Khongor-Uula?!

In this day and age the world values unspoiled, living nature.  Thus, in 20-30 years time the relatively unspoiled nature of my small homeland, the Tunkinsky valley, will give far more to man than profits from the sale of Kovitinsky gas.  But if we allow the pipeline to be built on our land, we will be inflicting irreparable damage to this unique corner of the natural world.  The Tunka, as a source of pure, living water and as a balsam for the hearts and souls of thousands and thousands of people living in Buryatia, the Irkutsk region and other parts of Russia, will be lost for ever… So, let's decide what is more important for us, the people of Tunkinsky, of Buryatia: a pipeline or the sunny natural beauty  of the "Siberian Switzerland", the Tunkinsky valley.

Postscript

The gas pipeline is not the only danger for the Tunka and the people of Tunkinsky.  [YUKOS] and Moscow government officials are also planning to build an oil pipeline through the Tunka.  It will run parallel to the gas pipeline.  Crude oil will flow continuously to China and other countries.  And it will be used for the development of the Chinese economy.  Any accidents which take place in the oil pipeline when it goes through Tunkinsky valley will effect our land and our rivers.  The oligarchs and government officials need many billions of dollars from the sale of oil and gas.  In exchange for devastated and lacerated land and the trampling of nature, the people of Tunkinsky will not receive a cent.  So let's all tell "Rusia Petroleum", [YUKOS], the oligarchs and the government about this together, with one voice.  Let them find other ways to transport gas and oil to China and other countries.

A Bobkov, correspondent for the newspaper "Sayani"