Ocean of Sethu

No need an introduction for what is happening in India, what brought every political comments without leaving a day in the headlines news. This is one of an example that development destroys the nature in my view. The Seathusamudram project that connects the Gulf of Mannar with Palk Bay that provide direct sea-way through Indian territorial water from eastern to western coast without circumnavigate Sri Lanka to reach another side. I always look that politics should work apart from religious, rich, poor to support the need for people, not like using the religion for the political stand. Let it be the Adam’s Bridge or Rama Setu (a chain of limestone shoals or 103 small patch reefs lying in a linear pattern with reef crest, sand clays and intermittent deep channels stretching for 48km and the depth varies from 3ft to 30ft between India and Srilankan water) which has varies believes that for hindu a land bridge built by Lord Rama to reach lanka to rescue wife sita from demon king ravana; Muslims belief of Adam, the first man used to reach Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka where he left a giant footprint. Some Christians ascribe the footprint to St Thomas the apostle, while Buddhists assign it to the Buddha and some hindus in Lanka worship at as Lord Shiva’s and call the mountain Shivanolipatham malai. How many believes surround this bridge?

Except from beliefs there were continues oppose from diplomatic assertions from Sri Lanka, apprehensive admonitions from environmentalists and fishermen’s, the project moved on to process in 2005 after years of discussion within governments, from where the idea comes from Commander Taylor of India marines in 1860. For over 3 years the dredging was going on and the project near the end (bridge) came the problem from a political party of a religion who brought ban in Supreme Court to prevent destruction of the Rama Bridge that it was built by Lord Rama. Now the Court has to play whether to proceed or stop the project itself. Could this project be useful or not, we loss the natural formation the coral reefs that prevent us from the tsunami hitting the coast faster and with great force and also destruction of traditional fishing grounds.

There could be apprehensions on security, environment, resource exploitation… The safety of shipping and channel itself could be a major issue. There are chances, the Cyclones can take up the dredged sediments or an accident can block the channel for a long time in the chance of absence of quick clearing machineries. There is a good benefit for the Tuticorin-Colombo and secondary ports between Chennai-Nagappattinam. There was an expectation of employment for fishers and coastal people. The projection charges for piloting a ship through the channel may be Rs. 60 lack. The difference in money spent on fuel between the two routs is only Rs.7 lack and it also saves the distance and time of 254-424 nautical miles and 21-36 hours. The number of dredged channels are two of 89km with total length of 167km and proposed depth of 12 meters in a budget of Rs.2,427 crore.