Lake Baikal is now out of danger after Russian officials have ordered to move the route of the Pacific oil pipeline some 40km to the north.
      
      The ruling was much welcomed by WWF, Greenpeace and other social organizations across the country. The scientists and conservationists have long insisted on it, claiming the route was too close to the Baikal and located within the zone very much prone to heavy earthquakes. In case of any, leaks into the lake would destroy the world’s largest reservoir of fresh water.
      
      Transneft, the oil company in charge of the project worth 11bn, earlier said a pipeline is much safer than the railroad passing the lake within a very close distance. The pipeline capable of transporting some 30 tonnes of East Siberian oil was to be completed by 2008.
      
      Semyon Vainshtok, CEO of the Transneft company, was surprised by the decision and said it could lead to unprecedented increase in costs. The price of the initial stretch was evaluated at $6.5bn. Now the extensions of the route to by-pass Lake Baikal would cost an additional $900m.
      
      SOURCE:
      www.vz.ru
      www.turist.ru