The Hindu Business Line : Sethusamudram inauguration on July 2

The Union Minister for Shipping, Mr T.R. Baalu, releasing the logo of Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd in Madurai on Wednesday. The project Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Mr N.K. Ragupathy, and the Member of Parliament, Mr P. Mohan, are also seen. — K. Ganesan

Madurai , June 22

THE Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP) here on July 2.

Simultaneously, the Dredging Corporation of India will initiate the dredging work at Point Calimere, 45 km away from Kodikarai, and arrangements are being made to screen it at the inaugural site, said the Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu.

He stated this while releasing the `Logo' of the Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd (SCL), the nodal agency for the implementation of the project, at a function held here on Wednesday.

The Minister said that a draft agreement for the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Suez Canal authorities and the Sethusamudram Corporation has been accepted by both and it would be signed at Chennai after the Union Cabinet's clearance.

The broad area of co-operation between the two authorities will be on exchange of information, expertise and technological advancement in facilitating and promoting the construction, operation and management of SSCP, training of personnel, develop programmes for technical co-operation and set up a joint working group for the implementation of the MoU, Mr Baalu said.

He added that the MoU announced earlier with the Panama Canal authorities for the establishment of a maritime university was at the preparatory stage.

Allaying the fears that fishing will not be possible during dredging, the Minister asserted that "each and every step has been measured not to affect the fishermen community."

To a question on the acquisition of the proposed site for the construction of the project office at Mandapam Camp, he said the clearance of the site from the State Government is awaited and if it was not forthcoming, "we will go for private land (as) I cannot keep lukewarm."

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