Chennai: Cutting across party lines, the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution pressing the Union Government to immediately take steps to execute the Sethu Samudram project without further delay.
Promising all necessary cooperation, the resolution moved by Chief Minister MK Stalin said, “it is a dream project of over 150 years which will obviate the need to circumvent Sri Lanka for navigation and boost trade and commerce as well as the livelihood of fishing communities.” Interestingly, the BJP which had spearheaded the protest against the project earlier extended support to the resolution.
“No one will be happier than us if the project is revived and completed. It should be ensured that the project is carried out without affecting the Ram Setu,” BJP floor Leader Nainar Nagendran said. Not to be left behind, the AIADMK too supported the legislation with similar demands. Giving the genesis and history of the project, the Chief Minister said it was the late Prime Minister AB Vajpayee who made a commitment to execute the project and allocated funds for studying the alignment.
Later, in 2004, the Congress-led UPA government of Manmohan Singh earmarked Rs 2,427 Crore and the foundation stone was laid. However, it was stopped halfway through with the BJP opposing it and placing hurdles. AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa, who initially supported the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP), changed her stand and approached the court to stop it.
The deep water channel, which requires digging up to a length of 83.2 km, cuts through the stretch of limestone shoals known as Adam's bridge or the mythological Ram Setu, linking Dhanushkodi, the south-eastern tip of the country with Mannar island, in the north-west coast of Sri Lanka. It was part of the manifesto of the DMK and other political parties in Tamil Nadu since 1952.
Also read: SC to hear Ram Sethu PIL in February
On the advantages of the project, Stalin said “it will reduce the distance of navigation, increase foreign exchange, enhance handling capacity of ports in the neighbourhood and with the creation of minor ports, fishing would receive a boost.” In December last, Union Minister Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha that the existence of Ram Setu, the mythological bridge, can't be accurately proved.
This gave rise to demand in Tamil Nadu for reviving the project. But, several petitions, including one by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking to declare the mythical Ram Sethu as a national heritage structure, are still pending before the Supreme Court. The apex court had posted further hearing to February granting time to the Union Government to file its response.
While political parties in Tamil Nadu clamour for the project, environmentalists are opposed to its implementation. Some sceptics too are of the view that this deep water channel, requiring round the year dredging and tugs are needed to guide big vessels on the channel so that they do not get stuck in the shallow waters not more than 10 metres deep in the Palk Strait. Hence, this is seen as a white elephant.
Conservationists argue that the project would be an environmental disaster for the fragile ecosystem of the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay, both covering 10,500 sq km are closed marine systems and home to rare marine species. And the Gulf of Mannar with its 21 islets has been declared as a Biosphere Reserve.
The Environmental Impact Assessment report prepared by National Environmental Engineering Institute (NEERI) has acknowledged that both the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay are 'biologically rich and rated among the most highly productive seas in the world'. As such, there is frequent dredging and marine pollution associated with shipping threatening the marine life and livelihood of fishing communities. Despite the Assembly passing the resolution, it all depends upon the outcome of the case before the apex court.
