Omsk Protesters Fined, Petition President Over Pipe Burst

Yesterday, January 26, residents of houses on Ordzhonikidze Street held a picket demanding the repair of a burst in the heating networks. Because of it, people were left without heating, and repairs couldn«t be conducted for more than two weeks. In the end, five local residents drove onto the road in cars and blocked two lanes to draw attention to the problem. Each of them received a 1,500 ruble fine (approximately $17 at current rates) from the traffic police for parking in an unauthorized place.

As Yevgenia, a concerned Omsk resident who lives in the area, told an NGS55.RU correspondent, the pipe was repaired after the picket. Now, the protesters want to get the fines revoked. Moreover, Omsk residents are drafting a petition to the president to draw attention to the situation with the municipal infrastructure in the city.

«All those who parked their cars, blocking the first two lanes, these five people, received fines from the traffic police. The reasoning is that the car was parked in an unauthorized place. The traffic police don»t understand that instead of helping people, they are tripping them up. People are freezing in their apartments, getting sick, and the state is issuing fines. Now, a petition is being drafted at the level of the government and the president. To draw attention to our city Omsk, which is not just full of holes, but just like a sieve.«

According to Yevgenia, due to working heaters in one of the apartments, a fire broke out.

«What bothers me is the inaction shown by the city and regional administrations. They are passing the buck and not looking at the people. I have photos where the thermometer shows 7 degrees Celsius (45°F) in the apartment. Due to the heaters, the wiring couldn»t handle it, and a fire occurred. Fortunately, there were adults at home and they quickly put it out.«