The Hindu Business Line : Sethusamudram project imbroglio

The Sethusamudram Project will help Tuticorin Port by allowing ships from the West enter its harbour. Thus, the viability of the existing and planned minor ports in Tamil Nadu will improve.

It is also projected that 70 per cent of the traffic through the canal will come from Europe and Africa.

It is argued that steering in the proposed canal will be slow and the actual time taken will definitely exceed what is assumed in the project report. With the proposed tariff schedule, ships will find it cheaper to go round Sri Lanka.

On the other hand, if the tariff is cut, the rate of return will fall to uneconomic levels, and this could be accompanied by cost overrun on the capital and piling dredging maintenance.

This may be one reason why there has been no private participation in the project.

Apart from the ecological studies made by the Government from the Indian side of Palk Straits, a similar study from the Sri Lankan side is also required to complete the environmental assessment.

Global shipping companies are shifting to bulk carriers and tankers often exceed 35,000 DWT, and these vessels cannot use the Sethusamudram canal.

T.S. Sundareswaran,

New Delhi

The issue about the Sethusamudram project is not about whether Lord Rama existed or not.

The issue is that this bridge holds great symbolic value for Hindus and one cannot destroy symbols for the sake of economic development, just because evidence does not exist in the court of law.

Samvit Durga, e-mail

The Sethusamudram project was a dream vision of our national poet Subramania Bharati. He conceived this idea even before India became Independent.

He has given a hint to the future generation only to strengthen the Sethu which is none other than Ramarsethu, on which points and counterpoints are made.

R. Swaminathan, Tiruchi

Any developmental project would face environmental concerns. But in the larger interest of the country the damages should be kept to the minimum. It is a well known fact that in India environmental concerns are not addressed properly.

Many projects in India do not meet safety standards and Sethusamudram is one such.

Though an environmental impact assessment had been made, it is for the Government to dispel the doubts expressed by environmentalists and others.

Krithivasan, e-mail

The Sethusamudram project is a long-time aspiration of Tamilians, and almost all political parties in the State supported it. The then Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee announced its implementation at a public meeting.

The project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in July 2005 and the dredging work started in 2006. When Dr Subramaniam Swamy and others filed writ petitions wanting Ram Sethu declared as an “ancient monument,” the court gave an interim stay and called for affidavits.

As the ASG’s affidavit has created a controversy, the Government, in order to ease the situation, withdrew the affidavit.

Though a lot of politics is involved, no one objects to the Sethu project.

And no one intends to destroy Ramar Sethu. It is only a question of alignment and there should be no violence.

A. Jacob Sahayam, Thiruvananthapuram

When the issue of the alignment of the Sethusamudram Project was taken to the apex court, it stayed further work for a period of three months, following the Centre’s plea to allow time for examining whether alternative alignments could be possible.

There is precious little the Government can do in the matter during the stay period.

Though the Shipping Minister has stated that the project will be completed on schedule, it would be possible only if the apex court upholds the present alignment.

The Government should examine all aspects of the issue that have been commented upon by experts in addition to protection of the Ram Sethu bridge.

T. R. Anandan, Coimbatore

It is an unnecessary controversy. People’s faith should have been kept in mind before finalising the plan.

There is no harm in finding an alternative.

V. Ramasamy, e-mail

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