February
16, 2008 Experts ask
Government to Come Clean
on Sethusamudram
Chennai
Scientists and experts at a meet organized here Saturday urged the
central government to table a white paper in parliament on the
"economic viability, environmental and ecological sustainability,
engineering feasibility and ethical tenability" of the controversial
Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP).
The meet organized by the Coastal Action Network, an umbrella group
for 7,000 villages and fishing federations in Tamil Nadu's 1,000 km
long coastline, also questioned the security risk of such a canal
project.
The project, started by the union government in 2005, involves
dredging a 20-km long, 300-meter wide and 10.7 meter deep channel
between the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay, through Adam's Bridge
at a cost of Rs.2400 billion ($600 million).
The government estimates that nearly 3,000 ships will use the
channel every year to cut short the travelling distance between
Chennai port and Kanya Kumari (Cape Comorin) to 402 nautical miles
from the present 755 nautical miles.
Retired naval officer and Master Mariner for merchant navy H.
Balakrishnan said: "The SSCP is an open channel and there is a
possibility of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam) setting up
sea mines, which is much cheaper when compared to acquiring
surface-to-surface missiles. It's enough if just one ship explodes."
Balakrishnan endorsed Coast Guard Director General Vice-Admiral Rusi
Contractor's recent remarks that the project "poses a threat to the
national security".
"Contractor is correct. I also analyzed it. The project will pose a
threat to national security as there is a piracy threat from Sudan
to Straits of Malacca and to South China Sea," Balakrishnan added.
The LTTE had "a direct bearing on the safety of shipping navigation
through the SSCP," he said, pointing out that the LTTE had control
over most of north Sri Lanka coast.
"The global ransom rate for one ship today was $100,000," he said,
adding, "Tigers have displayed considerable ingenuity and daring act
in sea-borne insurgency".
The Sri Lanka government has installed mines between Kachchatheevu
and Neduntheevu, under water to prevent Sea Tigers, the marine wing
of the LTTE, from crossing into international waters, he said.
Mired in religious and environment controversies, the cost of the
project has escalated to Rs.35 billion and the Supreme Court has
stayed the project amid speculation that the government is unwilling
to continue with it.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
