Nov 26, 2003. /Lesprom Network/. Russian Yabloko parliament fraction appealed to the Council of Federation asking the upper chamber to vote down the amendments into the forestry code that are to facilitate the procedure of forestries’ status annulling, Yabloko leader Grigori Yavlinski wrote in his letter to the Council of Federation chairman Sergey Mironov. The new amendments can seriously damage the environment in numerous Russian major cities, Yavlinsky wrote. - Facilitating the procedure of withdrawing the forestries from the environment-protection legislation control makes massive timber fell very attractive in order to build elite mansions, - the letter reads. This will affect the air and water condition and will increase disease rate, mostly among the elderly people and children, Yavlinski writes. The bill adopted by the State Duma was openly lobbied, Yabloko claims. The law was aroused by the necessity to legalize the lands already captured by well-off businessmen and corrupt officials, and will undoubtedly create favorable conditions for further mansion construction. The bill was introduced in the State Duma by the Otechestvo Vsa Rossija fraction MP Gennadi Kulik and was adopted by the lower chamber in the 3rd reading at the 2nd endeavor. The bill vote in the Council of Federation was scheduled for November, 26.