Flaying Jayalalitha regime for opposing Sethusamudram project, DMK President Kalaignar said that the DMK, although an opposition party, had announced ‘Uprising Day’ public meetings all over Tamil Nadu on 15th only to explain the necessity of the project to the people and called upon Party units at all levels to work for the success of the day.
In the fourth in series of his epistles to the cadre on May 7, Kalaignar gave further evidence provided by the US space agency NASA which stated,
“NASA had issued the following disclaimer when it was brought to their notice that certain statements were attributed to them – “The image may be ours, but their interpretation is not certainly ours……..Remote sensing images or photographs from orbit cannot provide direct information about the origin or age of a chain of islands, and certainly cannot determine whether humans were involved in producing any of the pattern seen”.
Hence, the truth is that there are no basis or evidence for the existence of any manmade bridge there either scientifically or deep sea chemical analysis.
Dr. Annamalai Mahizhnan of Australia has written in his essay that ‘Ramar bridge a fictitious story”.
When a debate was held on Sethusamudram project at the behest of Union government, Sethusamudram Canal Project Managing Director N.K.Raghupathi, IAS said that it was explained with appropriate documents in the presence of Union Minister, officials of the department and representatives of religious bodies that there were no evidence whatsoever for a manmade bridge at the site of the project through scientific and technological studies of various private and government institutions. The group of representatives headed by Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha secretary Swami Paramananda Saraswathi conveyed satisfaction over the explanation given by officials. Moreover, they told media persons that they extend support to the economic progress of the region.
Tuticorin Port Trust Chairman Raghupathi said “Like the Suez canal connecting Red sea and Mediterranean sea, Panama canal connecting Pacific and Atlantic oceans and Kiel canal connecting North sea Baltic sea, the Sethusamudram project by connecting Mannar Bay and Palk straits through a canal creating shipping of large vessels will definitely create industrial and trade development and economic progress in Tamil Nadu. This is a rare gift to Tamil Nadu.”
From this, it is clear that the justness of the project is observed by those thinking neutrally and it will never be observed by those who work with the intention of preventing it.
Panama cana and Suez canal are two canal cutting across land for shipping, but Sethu canal is entirely different. Panama canal was dug on land between North and South American continents and Suez canal dug on land between Egypt and Europe. But Sethusamudram project is one planned for shipping by deepening rocks called Adams bridge by 40 feet near Pamban in the sea area entirely belonging to India.
Even before DMK came to power in TN, Arignar Anna delivered a lengthy speech in TN Assembly on Third Five Year Plan on 9.10.1960, in which he referred to Sethusamudram project in the following:-
“What we must firmly ask the Centre what are the projects they are going to implement for the state? They must be categorically asked whether they are going to implement Sethusamudram project and Tuticorin expansion project or not? Now I earnestly ask the Minister. Your ability is well known to the people of the state. Only from the success you achieve in this, the people have to determine your ability hereafter. To study this and give report the Government of India appointed the best intellectual of our state Thiru. Ramaswamy Mudaliar. Keeping his study report and the controversy over figures of ten crore or fifteen crore we don’t know whether it could be added to the Third Five Year Plan. I once again ask this Ministry of TN. This government should courageously ask the Centre whether they are going to implement this project or whether we leave from this”.
Anna had spoken about this project like this even 50 years back in 1960. This project was pressed for in the resolutions of the DMK conferences in Tirupparankundram in 1961 and Virugambakkan in 1966. Only after the DMK came to power in 1967 the ‘Uprising Day’ was observed and Anna pressed for this project and Tuticorin deep sea port in the Assembly.
When the works of Tuticorin deep sea project slackened and efforts were made t0 convert it into a fishing harbour, Anna and me as PWD Minister went to the place where the then Union Shipping Minister V.K.R.V.Rao was staying and met him. Anna took along with him the former Chief Minister M.Bhakathvatchalam and former Industries Minister R.Venkataraman, gave the assurance that if the port were to meet losses it would be borne by the State government and thus stove for the advent of Tuticorin deep sea port.
In 1972, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi unveiled the statue of ‘Kappaloattiya Tamilan’ VOC at the entrance of Tuticorin port at a function presided over by me. Then I spoke that Sethu canal project was absolutely essential for the benefit of Tuticorin port to develop further.
In the election manifesto of the DMK for 2004 Parliament elections also, we had pointed out that ‘we would urge the Centre to allot appropriate fund for beginning implementation of Sethu canal project which remains at the promise level for long.” Like us the ADMK election manifesto also then pressed for the necessity of the project.
Sethusamudram project is a Rs.2,427 crore project, of which the investment of the government is Rs.495 crore, Shipping Corporation of India Rs.50 crore, Tuticorin port trust Rs.50 crore, Dredging Corporation of India Rs.30 crore, Ennore port Rs.30 crore, Paradeep port Rs.30 crore, Chennai port Rs.30 crore, Visakapattinam port Rs 30crore, Public share Rs.226 crore and loans guaranteed by GoI Rs. 2,456 crore and totally Rs.2,427 crore. Of these, the works for Rs. 800 crore had already been completed.
The Union Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs had approved this project. This committee headed by the Prime Minster had Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P.Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, T.R,Baalu, Dhayanidhi Maran, Kamal Nath and Mani Shankar Aiyar as members.
Through this project employment of eight crore man days per annum would be created and a lot of direct and indirect employment opportunities would also be created. Through the development of Rameswaram and Nagapattinam ports 10,000 persons would get direct employment. 11 persons would get employment with the handling of every ton of goods. All questions raised by environmental activists had been answered and additional tests regarding environmental impact were carried out at an expense of Rs.3 crore. Once completed the project will fetch operational profit from the first year onwards and will be directly profitable.
All studies carried out since 1955 have proved this project as technologically possible and nobody had even iota of doubt about it.
Will this project affect coral reef rocks?
No deepening work will be carried out in areas other than Adams bridge in Bay of Mannar. The area between Tuticorin and Pamban island had been declared as Marine Life National Park. The areas up to 10 km from this park has been declared as Mannar Bay Marine Life Sanctuary by Tamil Nadu government. Coral leaf rocks are found only in the depth less areas around these 21 islands. It is undeniable that there are no coral reefs either in the sea route to be formed or in Adams bridge. As according to Indian Sea Trade Act and international laws effluents from the ships sailing via this route will not be permitted there is absolutely no chance of effluents particularly oil leaks affecting coral reefs.
The infrastructure to be developed on land have been proposed to be established on 12.5 acre land in Dhanushkodi area and 2.5 acre land in Kodiakkarai area. Attempts are being made to use only land belonging to the state government. Hence there is no chance of fishermen getting displaced. If some fishermen were living on government lands the government will entirely bear the expense for their resettlement, Kalaignar said adding that the ADMK government had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that this excellent project should not be continued.
In the fourth in series of his epistles to the cadre on May 7, Kalaignar gave further evidence provided by the US space agency NASA which stated,
“NASA had issued the following disclaimer when it was brought to their notice that certain statements were attributed to them – “The image may be ours, but their interpretation is not certainly ours……..Remote sensing images or photographs from orbit cannot provide direct information about the origin or age of a chain of islands, and certainly cannot determine whether humans were involved in producing any of the pattern seen”.
Hence, the truth is that there are no basis or evidence for the existence of any manmade bridge there either scientifically or deep sea chemical analysis.
Dr. Annamalai Mahizhnan of Australia has written in his essay that ‘Ramar bridge a fictitious story”.
When a debate was held on Sethusamudram project at the behest of Union government, Sethusamudram Canal Project Managing Director N.K.Raghupathi, IAS said that it was explained with appropriate documents in the presence of Union Minister, officials of the department and representatives of religious bodies that there were no evidence whatsoever for a manmade bridge at the site of the project through scientific and technological studies of various private and government institutions. The group of representatives headed by Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha secretary Swami Paramananda Saraswathi conveyed satisfaction over the explanation given by officials. Moreover, they told media persons that they extend support to the economic progress of the region.
Tuticorin Port Trust Chairman Raghupathi said “Like the Suez canal connecting Red sea and Mediterranean sea, Panama canal connecting Pacific and Atlantic oceans and Kiel canal connecting North sea Baltic sea, the Sethusamudram project by connecting Mannar Bay and Palk straits through a canal creating shipping of large vessels will definitely create industrial and trade development and economic progress in Tamil Nadu. This is a rare gift to Tamil Nadu.”
From this, it is clear that the justness of the project is observed by those thinking neutrally and it will never be observed by those who work with the intention of preventing it.
Panama cana and Suez canal are two canal cutting across land for shipping, but Sethu canal is entirely different. Panama canal was dug on land between North and South American continents and Suez canal dug on land between Egypt and Europe. But Sethusamudram project is one planned for shipping by deepening rocks called Adams bridge by 40 feet near Pamban in the sea area entirely belonging to India.
Even before DMK came to power in TN, Arignar Anna delivered a lengthy speech in TN Assembly on Third Five Year Plan on 9.10.1960, in which he referred to Sethusamudram project in the following:-
“What we must firmly ask the Centre what are the projects they are going to implement for the state? They must be categorically asked whether they are going to implement Sethusamudram project and Tuticorin expansion project or not? Now I earnestly ask the Minister. Your ability is well known to the people of the state. Only from the success you achieve in this, the people have to determine your ability hereafter. To study this and give report the Government of India appointed the best intellectual of our state Thiru. Ramaswamy Mudaliar. Keeping his study report and the controversy over figures of ten crore or fifteen crore we don’t know whether it could be added to the Third Five Year Plan. I once again ask this Ministry of TN. This government should courageously ask the Centre whether they are going to implement this project or whether we leave from this”.
Anna had spoken about this project like this even 50 years back in 1960. This project was pressed for in the resolutions of the DMK conferences in Tirupparankundram in 1961 and Virugambakkan in 1966. Only after the DMK came to power in 1967 the ‘Uprising Day’ was observed and Anna pressed for this project and Tuticorin deep sea port in the Assembly.
When the works of Tuticorin deep sea project slackened and efforts were made t0 convert it into a fishing harbour, Anna and me as PWD Minister went to the place where the then Union Shipping Minister V.K.R.V.Rao was staying and met him. Anna took along with him the former Chief Minister M.Bhakathvatchalam and former Industries Minister R.Venkataraman, gave the assurance that if the port were to meet losses it would be borne by the State government and thus stove for the advent of Tuticorin deep sea port.
In 1972, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi unveiled the statue of ‘Kappaloattiya Tamilan’ VOC at the entrance of Tuticorin port at a function presided over by me. Then I spoke that Sethu canal project was absolutely essential for the benefit of Tuticorin port to develop further.
In the election manifesto of the DMK for 2004 Parliament elections also, we had pointed out that ‘we would urge the Centre to allot appropriate fund for beginning implementation of Sethu canal project which remains at the promise level for long.” Like us the ADMK election manifesto also then pressed for the necessity of the project.
Sethusamudram project is a Rs.2,427 crore project, of which the investment of the government is Rs.495 crore, Shipping Corporation of India Rs.50 crore, Tuticorin port trust Rs.50 crore, Dredging Corporation of India Rs.30 crore, Ennore port Rs.30 crore, Paradeep port Rs.30 crore, Chennai port Rs.30 crore, Visakapattinam port Rs 30crore, Public share Rs.226 crore and loans guaranteed by GoI Rs. 2,456 crore and totally Rs.2,427 crore. Of these, the works for Rs. 800 crore had already been completed.
The Union Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs had approved this project. This committee headed by the Prime Minster had Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P.Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, T.R,Baalu, Dhayanidhi Maran, Kamal Nath and Mani Shankar Aiyar as members.
Through this project employment of eight crore man days per annum would be created and a lot of direct and indirect employment opportunities would also be created. Through the development of Rameswaram and Nagapattinam ports 10,000 persons would get direct employment. 11 persons would get employment with the handling of every ton of goods. All questions raised by environmental activists had been answered and additional tests regarding environmental impact were carried out at an expense of Rs.3 crore. Once completed the project will fetch operational profit from the first year onwards and will be directly profitable.
All studies carried out since 1955 have proved this project as technologically possible and nobody had even iota of doubt about it.
Will this project affect coral reef rocks?
No deepening work will be carried out in areas other than Adams bridge in Bay of Mannar. The area between Tuticorin and Pamban island had been declared as Marine Life National Park. The areas up to 10 km from this park has been declared as Mannar Bay Marine Life Sanctuary by Tamil Nadu government. Coral leaf rocks are found only in the depth less areas around these 21 islands. It is undeniable that there are no coral reefs either in the sea route to be formed or in Adams bridge. As according to Indian Sea Trade Act and international laws effluents from the ships sailing via this route will not be permitted there is absolutely no chance of effluents particularly oil leaks affecting coral reefs.
The infrastructure to be developed on land have been proposed to be established on 12.5 acre land in Dhanushkodi area and 2.5 acre land in Kodiakkarai area. Attempts are being made to use only land belonging to the state government. Hence there is no chance of fishermen getting displaced. If some fishermen were living on government lands the government will entirely bear the expense for their resettlement, Kalaignar said adding that the ADMK government had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that this excellent project should not be continued.
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