The Hindu Business Line : NMDP being finalised, says Baalu

THE Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu said on Tuesday that the Department of Shipping is in the process of finalising the National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP) by identifying specific projects and schemes to give a concrete shape to the vision laid down in the Maritime Policy Document.

Addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, Mr Baalu said that the programme would involve an investment of Rs 60,000 crore in ports sector and Rs 40,000 crore in Shipping & IWT (inland water transport) sectors, and would be implemented through public-private partnership. Declaration of port channels as National Sea Waterways in a phased manner, beginning with major ports and their development and maintenance through Central Government funding, is envisaged in the draft Policy for the Maritime Sector, he stated.

On the environmental concerns of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, he said that it has been ensured that all apprehensions raised with regard to environment and ecology are dispelled through various studies to ensure that no one has any doubt about this project, according to an official statement. The Minister said that keeping in view the ecologically-sensitive nature of the region, an elaborate environment management plan has been drawn up to safeguard the bio-diversity of the region during implementation and operation.

Giving details of the elaborate monitoring system, the Minister said that the monitoring would be carried out at three levels: at an interval of four hours under the first level at the dredging location, every eight hours under the second level at two locations and under the third level at shore at an interval of 24 hours.

Dispelling the apprehensions of the fishermen community about the possibility of reduction in fish breeding and fish catches, the Minister pointed out that the primary productivity in the areas would not be affected as shown by the modelling studies and the disturbance to the fishing activity would be restricted to dredging area only and that too during the dredging time.

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