In The Name Of Ram

TIRUCHI: Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Hindu front organisations were arrested in Tiruchi and neighbouring Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Perambalur districts on Wednesday after they attempted to stage road roko agitations condemning the Centre for trying to destroy the Ramar Sethu while implementing the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project.

Ironically on the same day the Archaeological survey of India submitted a report in the apex court of India on the Ramar Sethu or Adam Bridge. The ASI in the report stated “there is No EVIDENCE to prove that Ramar Sethu or Adam Bridge is a man made structure, but it is natural deposit of sand.

The latest protest against Sethusamudram project is being fought on the religious grounds, but before taking the religion in hands the war against the dream project was fought on the security grounds, environmental aspects, and on socio economic grounds before we try to look in those grounds and the understand the fairness of the battle let us try to understand what is Sethusamudram project

The current route to south

Today the ships originating from west of India and destined for Chennai, Ennore, Vishakapatnam, Paradeep, Haldia and Kolkata have to travel around Srilankan coast resulting in increase of travel distance and time. Apart from this ships belonging to Indian Navy and Coast Guard need also to traverse around Srilanka. This long voyage is because of the existing water way is shallow and not sufficient for the movement of ships. This is due to the presence of a shallow region known as Adam’s bridge, located southeast of Rameswaram near Pamban, which connects the Talimannar Coast of Srilanka.

In order to reduce the steaming distances between the East and West Coast of India and to improve the navigation within territorial waters of India, a navigation channel connecting the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay through north of Adam's Bridge has been envisaged.

The canal will originate from the Tuticorin harbour in the south and run through the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Bay and the Palk Strait in a north and northeast direction before joining the Bay of Bengal. In other words, the canal will be dredged through the shallow waters of Adam's Bridge and the Palk Bay. Its total length will be 152 km but it needs no dredging for 78 km in the Gulf of Mannar. The canal will be 300 m wide and 6 km long in the Adam's Bridge area, and another 68 km long in the Palk Bay and the Palk Strait area. Its depth will be 12 m, to enable ships with a draught of 10.7 m to pass through. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the project on September 2, 2004, and announced the formation of Sethusamudram Corporation Limited to execute it. The Tuticorin Port Trust is the nodal agency for the project estimated to cost Rs.2, 000 crores.

Seen by the Tamils as ‘Suez of the east', the Sethusamudram project is a deam come true. But from the day it was announced in the parliament prtest from different groups mounted in different parts of the country and from south Asia

The first line of opposition came from the Sri Lankan government. The Sri Lankan government had appointed a committee consisting of scientific experts to study the environmental impact of the project on the island and they were of the unanimous conclusion that the project would bring adverse effects on the fragile environment of the island now naturally protected by what is called Ram Bridge. But what really happened in Sri Lanka? Though the Sri Lankan government opposing the project on the environment grounds but it was the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) is the first organization to oppose in Sri Lanka.

For Sri Lanka the ongoing ethnic struggle have increased the country’s expenses to many folds, and on the other hand there in no means of productivity and the manpower, under this economic scenario the shipping trade (in the existing route) is one of the major source of income and the natural harbors situated south west (Colombo) region benefits the sinhala government in two ways (1)the current harbors are in the south-western and south eastern region which is sinhala populated area, and controlled by the sinhala traders, (2) Any developmental activity related to harbor in the future can be confine to these region leaving the northern zoone as underdeveloped.

The impact of Sethusamudram project in Sri Lanka

The shipping operation from Sethusamudram canal will not only pave the way for Tamils in Tamil Nadu but the Tamils on the other side too. The ships not only from the western parts of India but any parts of the world will use Sethusamudram canal to reach the southern and eastern Indian harbors. This will reduce the movement of ships to the south western and south eastern costs of Sri Lanka. And the Sri Lanka government has to either shift or develop the Tamil populated north eastern and the north western ports. Shifting or developing the northern area of Sri Lanka will give new life to the Tamils who were deprived of any such measures of three to four decades.

The Sri Lanka government which is not willing to share the development with Tamils has opposed the project in the name of environment protection

Opposition on socio economic grounds

When Sethusamudram is in place, ships sailing from the west to the east coast of india will no more need to circumnavigate around Sri Lanka.

The channel will cut short sailing of an additional distance of 254-424 nautical miles and 21-36 hours of sailing time

Substantial saving can be had in ship time and bunkering costs. This will directly benefit the shipping industry and EXIM trade

There will be substantial savings for the shipping companies, exporters and importers, manufacturers. Trade will benefit from reduction in maritime transportation cost.

Indian fishing boats can transit freely though north of Adam's Bridge. This is not possible today.

The project will contribute to the national economy, develop the coastal districts of Tamilnadu, and improve the International competitiveness of India's exports.

A shorter navigation route between Kanyakumari and Tuticorin and other East coast ports of chennai, Ennore, Kakinada, Vishakapatnam, Paradip, Haidia and Kolkatta and ports in neighbouring countries such as Chittagong.

India's exports will become globally more competitive. Domestic, consumers will also be benefited with industries producing cheaper goods for the domestic market due to cost of raw material imports.

The project will facilitate coast movement of domestic cargo, leading to greater employment generation in the Ports and the industries in the vicinity.

Maritime trade in Tamilnadu, both coastal and international, will flourish with rapid development of existing minor port in Ramanathapuram.

Fishermen will directly benefit due to the potential for development of fishing harbours (between Nagapattinam and Tuticorin) with proper landing and storage facilities.

Development of existing major and minor ports and new ports will accelerate industrial development of the hinterlands resulting in huge employment opportunities in manufacturing units and service sectors.

The channel will become an invaluable asset from national defence and security point of view enabling easier and quicker access between the coasts. Indian Coast Guard and Naval ships will not have to circumnavigate around Sri Lanka.

Transshipment of Indian Cargo on foreign shores will gradually decrease and after some time stop altogether.

The Project will lead to considerable savings and earnings of foreign exchange. It is estimated that EXIM trade incurred on additional expenditure of approx Rs. 1000 Crores in foreign exchanging in transshipment of Indian cargo outside the country during the financial year 2003 -04 alone.

In the Name of lord Rama

The most recent war against the Sethusamudram project is being fought on the religious grounds, the Hindu fundamental political fronts argues, that the Sethusamudram canal will destroy the bridge that was constructed by lord Rama.

But this protest has to be seen in a border perspective The ASI in the report dose not only stated “there is No EVIDENCE to prove that Ramar Sethu or Adam Bridge is a man made structure, but it is natural deposit of sand. But gone beyond that and said there is no evidence to prove the mear existence of Rama himself and it is a mythical image, when the scientific truth are like this then why the political paries has to take up this issue some after two years after the commencement of the project

The current political trend in New Delhi is not stable, the left parties have already started their political campaign by damaging the Congress’s image in the Nuclear Deal. The BJP which has seen the power by destroying the masque lost the last parliamentary election because of the absence of any “issues”. Now the elections are much closer than expected the right wing hindu fundamental groups take up the issue and trying to bridge the Ram temple to Ram bridge,