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V. Sajeev Kumar

Kochi , April 26

THE Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has urged the Shipping Ministry to carry out detailed studies before initiating further proceedings on the proposed Sethusamudram project, the much-awaited maritime shortcut between the East and West coasts of the Indian subcontinent.

The Government should get detailed studies done by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on the project, Commander G. V. K. Unnithan, Executive Committee Member of the BNHS, said in a statement.

The GSI should bore holes right along the Adams Bridge area (instead of the three bore holes made for the environment impact assessment by the National Environment and Engineering Research Institute), he said.

He said that a sediment transport pattern all along the proposed canal alignment in varying seasons, especially during the monsoons, should also be made before going ahead with the project.

The society's reaction comes in the wake of the recent clearance given by the Union Environment and Forest Ministry in favour of the project.

BNHS pointed out that the project would cause massive migration of fish, mammals and other fauna into deeper gulf regions, reduction in the fishing area and heavy pollution due to ballasts of water frompassing ships.

He said that underwater photography of the sea bottom along the proposed canal alignment for recording the presence of coral reefs and historical artefacts is necessary.

The results of this survey need not be published, but may be certified by an independent professional agency.

Likewise, the Government should also carry out studies of the ecosystems of the proposed onshore/near shore dumping grounds for dredged materials and a detailed estimation of the dredging costs in consultation with a professional dredging company like the Dredging Corporation of India.

The declaration of a road map for the rehabilitation of people affected by the project, a realistic survey, an estimation of the excepted usage of the canal and the likely transits through the canal should be made before the commencement of the project.

The Government must also publish the terms of the expression of interest or the memorandum of understanding arrived at between Shipping Ministry and the Authorities of Panama & Suez Canals in November 2004, he added.

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