The Gulf of Mannar is called Sethusamudram. The Gulf lies between Dhanushkodi (India) and Talaimannar (Sri Lanka).
The waters of the Indian Ocean are most turbulent in this maritime zone. Tamil Nadu Maritime Board issues daily weather warnings about the Pamban Channel which lies north of Gulf of Mannar between Rameshwaram and Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district.
In addition to regular high tides, frequent storms and cyclones, the zone is also prone to tsunamis as evidenced by the tsunami of December 26, 2006 which recorded a death toll of 230,000 people in the Indian Ocean. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami Thanks to the presence of Ramasetu, the bridge made by Sri Rama connecting Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar, the southern coastline of India was saved from utter devastation by the tsunami. Some damage was caused in Kollam (Kerala) as the tsunami waves travelled around Sri Lanka and hit the west coast of Bharatam near Kollam.
Any navigational channel in the ocean zone should be designed in such a way as to deflect any future tsunamis, particularly emanating from the Aceh islands of Indonesia which is a plate-tectonically active zone. This is important to prevent devastation of the coastline port facilities and lives as was witnessed during a tsunami emanating from Alaska destroying a Canadian channel of a Canadia port. On March 28, 1964 Port Alberni was hit by a tsunamitriggered by the 9.2 earthquake coming out of Alaska because the channel acted as a funneled conduit of the energy of the tsunami.
Any navigational channel in the ocean zone should be designed in such a way as to deflect any future tsunamis, particularly emanating from the Aceh islands of Indonesia which is a plate-tectonically active zone. This is important to prevent devastation of the coastline port facilities and lives as was witnessed during a tsunami emanating from Alaska destroying a Canadian channel of a Canadia port. On March 28, 1964 Port Alberni was hit by a tsunamitriggered by the 9.2 earthquake coming out of Alaska because the channel acted as a funneled conduit of the energy of the tsunami.
So, Government of India should make a categorical announcement that Ramasetu will NOT be touched by any maritime navigational projects including the Sethusamudram channel project which should be shelved in its entirety, cancelling all activities related to the project. GOI should submit an affidavit to Hon'ble Supreme Court declaring Ramasetu as a National Monument and affirming that any channel in the maritime zone will be subject to most rigorous environmental impact assessments consistent with the Environmental Protection Laws and ensuring that the livelihood of the people of the coastline are in no way affected. On the contrary, any projects taken up should be to augment the employment opportunities and earnings of the coastal people by creating Maritime Zone cooperatives with improved fishing harbors, protection of thorium reserves in the coastline, air-conditioned storage facilities to be used by the fisherfolk declaring the zone as a Special Economic Maritime Zone to be developed by peoples' initiatives with the support of GOI and Tamil nadu authorities and in coordination with the Govt of Sri Lanka which shares the waters of the Indian Ocean under the Law of the Sea. This is a vital requirement to ensure the safety of navigation in the Indian Ocean and protection of the lives of coastal people and fisherfolk dependent for their livelihoods on aquaculture including acquisition of s'ankha shells and other sea-based artifacts such as algae which have medicinal value.
Given the extreme weather conditions of high winds, high waves and frequent storms and given the fact that the zone is on a fault-line with evidences of Mannar volcanics, extreme care should be taken to warn the coastal people on a daily basis through weather reports, using satellite imaging technologies of the nation.
A number of alternatives to deepening the Pamban Channel exist which should be considered and evaluated for improved transportation between the west and east coasts of Bharatam. See: http://bharatkalyan97.
Is Nitin Gadkari reconsidering Mr. Townshend’s Proposal - 1861? He should scrap the Sethusamudram Kaarasthan Project, declare Ramasetu National Monument.
A clear distinction should be made between the facilities needed for the navigation of fishermens' boats through the Pamban Channel and use of the channel for freight traffic using barges, trawlers, catamarans or small sized vessels with capacity of about 10,000 tonnes given the shallow waters of the channel -- only about 2.5 metres. Any attempts to deepen the channel to 11 metres for navigation of vessels of 30,000 tonne capacity should be evaluated with great care. Such deepening will result in the need to reconstruct the present Pamban Rail and Road Bridges. The possibility of enhanced movement through the cantilever bridge on the Pamban Rail Bridge should be explored before attemptint to replace the cantilever bridge with other technological import options such as turn-table rail holders.
Further, protective arrangements are needed on both the left and right banks of the Pamban Channel to rescue any vessels which get stranded in sandbanks. The late PA Ramakrishnan had indicated the details of facilities made available in Suez Canal for such safety and rescue operations. See the embedded article: Nightmare ship salvage operation if Sethusamudram is aligned as a mid-ocean channel passage by PA Ramakrishnan.
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“The diagram illustrates a salvage method in Suez Canal to retrieve a grounded vessel in the canal. A heavy wire rope is led from the vessel right across the canal and secured to a bollard located on the other bank. Such bollards with holding power of upto 100 to 200 tons are buried in strong foundation every 200 feet on either side of the canal throughout its length. The wire is then tightened with very little sag, tow wire from a tug stationed in the middle of the channel is of sufficient length for maneuverability. Resulting Pull P from varying angles alpha on diagonal rope, one side exerting a pull on the bollard, and the other side on the ship, while tug Position of Span line while pulling providing a tworope pull of 50 tons…Ship winch is used to tighten the rope and remove the slackness.”
- Without such salvage operational facilities, any large-scale freight movement along the Pamban channel will be a risky navigational enterprise.
The Ramasetu Protection Movement urges the Govt. of India led by PM Narendra Modi to:
1. Announce Ramasetu as a National Monument and declare enhanced pilgrim tour arrangements in the maritime zone together with improvements in fishery berths, air-conditioned storage facilities, enhanced employment opportunities for conch-shell and other aquaculture activities including setting up Special maritime Economic Zones with Marine Cooperatives to improve the livelihood and earning opportunities for coastal people.
2. Anounce scrapping of the Sethusamudram channel project while exploring transportation alternatives between east and west coasts of India with enhanced container port facilities, transportation of oil and gas using pipelines, high-speed freight corridors between container ports and the hinterland of Bharat.
3. Announce environmental protection steps recommended by the Pachauri and earlier Committees for the Marine Bio Reserve of Gulf of Mannar in consultation and coordination with Govt. of Sri Lanka which shares the waters of the ocean under the Law of the Sea.
4. Enhance coast guard facilities to protect navigation and to protect thorium and other rare earth placer sand reserves in the maritime zone.
5. Enhance protection of atomic minerals and rare earth placer sands. Amend the DOE notification of January 26, 2006 declaring some atomic minerals under Open General Licence and restore the pre-eminent role assigned to Indian Rare Earths Limited to protect and conserve the rare earth placer sands and placer-sand mining operations along the coastline near Manavalakurichi in Tamil nadu, Aluva-chavara in Kerala, Bhimunipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Puri sands in Orissa, coastline of Konkan and other parts of the nation with monazite and other atomic mineral reserves. Scrap private mining operations in place sand mining.
S. Kalyanaraman
President, Rameshwaram Ramasetu Protection Movement
- Here are the outlines of the Pamban channel provided by Tamil Nadu Maritime Board about Pamban Port:http://www.tnmaritime.com/goverment_ports.php?port=3
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Location map: Pamban Channel![]()
Pamban Port
Ancient Port in Ramanathapuram district, which connects East and West Coast of India via Pamban Channel (Pamban Pass).
Port Limit Coordinates And G.O :
G.O.Ms.No.110, Highways and Minor Ports Department, dated 18.06.2009.1 Latitude 09° 17 ' 04 " N Longitude 79 ° 09' 16" E 2 Latitude 09° 21 ' 30" N Longitude 79° 13' 13" E 3 Latitude 09° 21' 30 " N Longitude 79° 09' 16 " E 4 Latitude 09 ° 17 ' 13" N Longitude 79° 13 ' 13" E 5 Latitude 09 ° 15 ' 31" N Longitude 79° 15 ' 43" E 6 Latitude 09 ° 13 ' 30" N Longitude 79° 15 ' 43" E 7 Latitude 09 ° 11 ' 45" N Longitude 79° 08 ' 54" E 8 Latitude 09 ° 16 ' 30" N Longitude 79° 08 ' 54" E
Activities at the Port:-
Small size vessels, barges, fishing vessels are piloted through Pamban channel (Palk Bay to Gulf of Mannar and viceversa) on opening the Scherzer Span (Rail Bridge) by Railway Authorities.
Contact Person:
O/o Tamil Nadu Maritime Board Port Conservator, Port Office, Pamban - 623526 Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India. Office Telefax : 04573-231422 See: http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/12705/11/11_chapter%203.pdf Pamban Railway Bridge: A plaudit of Southern Railway- The Pamban channel lies between the mainland India and Rameswaram Island, over which a 2.3 km long Pamban Bridge is constructed.The bridge refers to both the cantilever railway bridge and two-lane Road Bridge which is the longest sea bridge in India .The Railway Bridge is 6,776 ft (2,065m) which is functioning double-leaf Bascule Bridge. Until recently, the two leaves of the bridge were opened manually using levers by workers.More than 10 ships – cargo carriers, coast guard ships, fishing vessels and oil tankers – pass through the bridge every month.
Pamban Port Regulations
It is a strict rule and regulation that the Vessels/Tugs/Barges Must get an approvel from the port office before they start their voyage. This is done by sending their proper documents threw Email. Once the documents are checked and verified by the Port officer, he/she will issue the permission to pass the pamban channel.Without getting the approval, its not advisable to start your voyage. In this way you can reduce the unnecessary circumstances of waiting at the pamban waters for clearance. In worst situations, you may be asked to go around Sri Lanka.Technical Constraints
Crossing the channel is not as simple as it may seem to appear. There are many technical constraints that need to be considered before getting into action.- The channel is a very complicated one with a depth of merely around 2.5 meters.
- It is a very narrow channel and has a very crooked passage.
View Pamban Channel in a larger map- Both the sides of the channel have very shallow waters making it difficult for someone new to pilot the ship through it.
- No Vessel / Barge can pass the channel without opening the Pamban Railway Bridge.
- Port clearance and Immigration Clearance has to be received to open the Pamban Bridge.
- Pamban Bridge is not opened on Saturdays & Sundays.
- Pamban Bridge is not opened if there is a weather warning.
- Depending on the vessel’s draft, the passage might have to be scheduled on a high tide
Financial Expense
Due to such factors, there are certain financial implications at hand as well.
In order to get Port / Immigration clearance, an executive from the concerned company would ordinarily rush to Pamban. He/she may have to stay for more than a day and may face difficulty getting things done. http://madhuboats.com/pamban-channel.html ![]()
Pamban bdrige rameshwaramPamban Bridge :- The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait connects Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India. It refers to both the road bridge and the cantilever railway bridge, though primarily it means the latter. It was India’s first sea bridge. It is the second longest sea bridge in India (after Bandra-Worli Sea Link) at a length of about 2.3 km.- Populated Place;
- a city, town, village, or other agglomeration of buildings where people live and work.
- Reef(S);
- a surface-navigation hazard composed of consolidated material.
- Point;
- a tapering piece of land projecting into a body of water, less prominent than a cape.
- Ramen Point (6.3km)
- Mundel Point (7km)
- East Point (7km)
- Baker Point (10km)
- Sandy Point (11.3km)
- Kundagal Point (11.3km)
- Bushy Point (11.3km)
due to an unfamiliar place.- )
Here is what a boat company reports about navigating the Pamban Channel:
by Biplab Kumar Pal- Pamban Bridge
- Total length: 7,677' (2,340 m)
- Construction started: 1913
- Opened: 1914
- http://www.tides4fishing.com/as/india/pamban-channel-gulf-of-mannar
One of the deadliest bridges in the world: Pamban Bridge
Published on Apr 10, 2012
Location :- Pamban Bridge
Train :- Trichy - Rameshwaram Passenger
DETAILS ABOUT THE PAMBAN BRIDGE
The Pamban Bridge (Tamil: பாம்பன் பாலம்) is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait connects Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India. It refers to both the road bridge and the cantilever railway bridge, though primarily it means the latter. It was India's first sea bridge. It is the second longestsea bridge in India (after Bandra-Worli Sea Link) at a length of about 2.3 km.
The railway bridge is 6,776 ft (2,065 m)[1] and was opened for traffic in 1914. The railroad bridge is a still-functioning double-leaf bascule bridge section that can be raised to let ships pass under the bridge.
The railway bridge historically carried metre-gauge trains on it, but Indian Railways upgraded the bridge to carry broad-gauge trains in a project that finished Aug. 12, 2007. Until recently, the two leaves of the bridge were opened manually using levers by workers.[1] About 10 ships — cargo carriers, coast guard ships, fishing vessels and oil tankers — pass through the bridge every month. From the elevated two-lane road bridge, adjoining islands and the parallel rail bridge below can be viewed.
As per chronicles of Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya community, mentioned in their book - Nanji Bapa Ni Nondh Pothi. The erection and construction of Pamban Bridge was done by Mistri Manji Daya Wegad with Lakhu Devji Vegad both of Anjar, Varjang Hirji of Nagalpar and Gangji Narayan of Khedoi. Together built the Railway lines and Pamban Bridge over creek of Rameshwaram to Pamban construction of which they started in year 1887 and completed sometime in 1912 for South Indian Railway. While working on Pamban Bridge the Mistris Lakhu Devji Vegad of Anjar and Gangji Narayan of Khedoi also built famous Temple of Neel-Mandir having seven domes atRameshwaram, construction which, they started in 1899 and completed in about five years by 1905. After completion of bridge metre-gauge lines were laid by them from Mandapam up to Pamban Station, from here the railway lines bifurcated into two directions one towardsRameshwaram about 6.25 miles (10.06 km) up and another branch line of 15 miles (24 km) terminating at Dhanushkodi. The section was opened to traffic in 1914.[2]
According to Dr Narayanan, the bridge is located at the "world's second highly corrosive environment", next to Miami, US, making the construction a challenging job. The location is also a cyclone-prone high wind velocity zone.[1] This Bridge consist of 143 pilers and the centre span is called swichers bridge. It's 220 ft (67 m) long and each of 100 tonnes.
RAMESHWARAM
Rameswaram (Tamil: இராமேஸ்வரம், is a town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 50 kilometres from Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, is connected to mainland India by the Pamban Bridge. Rameswaram is the terminus of the railway line from Chennai and Madurai. Together with Kashi, it is considered to be one of the holiest places in India to Hindus, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimages. Hence, it is a bustling pilgrim centre.
It is situated in the Gulf of Mannar at the very tip of the Indian peninsula. According to legend, this is the place from where Lord Rama built a bridge Ram Setu (also known as Adam's Bridge) across the sea to Lanka to rescue his consort Sita from her abductor Ravana. Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites visit this pilgrimage centre which is known as the Varanasi of the south.
Ex-president of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, hails from a fishing hamlet called Dhanushkodi situated on this island.
Rameswaram is located at 9.28°N 79.3°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 10 metres (32 feet). The religious island is spread in an area of 61.8 square kilometres and happens to be in the shape of a conch. The Ramanatha Swamy Temple occupies major area of Rameshwaram.
The beach of Rameswaram is famous for its beautiful sea featured with no waves at all. The sea waves rise to a maximum height of 3 cm and the view looks like a very big river. Legend has it that Lord Ram of Ramayana prayed to the sea god to pave the way for Lanka. The sea god granted a boon saying that he will make the sea waves less to aid him in building a rock bridge.
Train :- Trichy - Rameshwaram Passenger
DETAILS ABOUT THE PAMBAN BRIDGE
The Pamban Bridge (Tamil: பாம்பன் பாலம்) is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait connects Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India. It refers to both the road bridge and the cantilever railway bridge, though primarily it means the latter. It was India's first sea bridge. It is the second longestsea bridge in India (after Bandra-Worli Sea Link) at a length of about 2.3 km.
The railway bridge is 6,776 ft (2,065 m)[1] and was opened for traffic in 1914. The railroad bridge is a still-functioning double-leaf bascule bridge section that can be raised to let ships pass under the bridge.
The railway bridge historically carried metre-gauge trains on it, but Indian Railways upgraded the bridge to carry broad-gauge trains in a project that finished Aug. 12, 2007. Until recently, the two leaves of the bridge were opened manually using levers by workers.[1] About 10 ships — cargo carriers, coast guard ships, fishing vessels and oil tankers — pass through the bridge every month. From the elevated two-lane road bridge, adjoining islands and the parallel rail bridge below can be viewed.
As per chronicles of Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya community, mentioned in their book - Nanji Bapa Ni Nondh Pothi. The erection and construction of Pamban Bridge was done by Mistri Manji Daya Wegad with Lakhu Devji Vegad both of Anjar, Varjang Hirji of Nagalpar and Gangji Narayan of Khedoi. Together built the Railway lines and Pamban Bridge over creek of Rameshwaram to Pamban construction of which they started in year 1887 and completed sometime in 1912 for South Indian Railway. While working on Pamban Bridge the Mistris Lakhu Devji Vegad of Anjar and Gangji Narayan of Khedoi also built famous Temple of Neel-Mandir having seven domes atRameshwaram, construction which, they started in 1899 and completed in about five years by 1905. After completion of bridge metre-gauge lines were laid by them from Mandapam up to Pamban Station, from here the railway lines bifurcated into two directions one towardsRameshwaram about 6.25 miles (10.06 km) up and another branch line of 15 miles (24 km) terminating at Dhanushkodi. The section was opened to traffic in 1914.[2]
According to Dr Narayanan, the bridge is located at the "world's second highly corrosive environment", next to Miami, US, making the construction a challenging job. The location is also a cyclone-prone high wind velocity zone.[1] This Bridge consist of 143 pilers and the centre span is called swichers bridge. It's 220 ft (67 m) long and each of 100 tonnes.
RAMESHWARAM
Rameswaram (Tamil: இராமேஸ்வரம், is a town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 50 kilometres from Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, is connected to mainland India by the Pamban Bridge. Rameswaram is the terminus of the railway line from Chennai and Madurai. Together with Kashi, it is considered to be one of the holiest places in India to Hindus, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimages. Hence, it is a bustling pilgrim centre.
It is situated in the Gulf of Mannar at the very tip of the Indian peninsula. According to legend, this is the place from where Lord Rama built a bridge Ram Setu (also known as Adam's Bridge) across the sea to Lanka to rescue his consort Sita from her abductor Ravana. Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites visit this pilgrimage centre which is known as the Varanasi of the south.
Ex-president of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, hails from a fishing hamlet called Dhanushkodi situated on this island.
Rameswaram is located at 9.28°N 79.3°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 10 metres (32 feet). The religious island is spread in an area of 61.8 square kilometres and happens to be in the shape of a conch. The Ramanatha Swamy Temple occupies major area of Rameshwaram.
The beach of Rameswaram is famous for its beautiful sea featured with no waves at all. The sea waves rise to a maximum height of 3 cm and the view looks like a very big river. Legend has it that Lord Ram of Ramayana prayed to the sea god to pave the way for Lanka. The sea god granted a boon saying that he will make the sea waves less to aid him in building a rock bridge.
Tide Chart: high tides and low tides in Pamban Channel (Gulf of Mannar)
Today Sunday, 2nd of November of 2014, the sun rose in Pamban Channel (Gulf of Mannar) at 6:03 h and sunset will be at 17:50 h. The moon set at 1:35 h at 263º west. Eventually, the moon will rise again in the east (95º) at 14:11 h.
In the high tide and low tide chart, we can see that the first low tide was at 4:15 hand the next low tide will be at 16:50 h. The only high tide of the day will be at10:30 h.
The lunar phase is a Waxing Gibbous. Today we have 11 hours and 47 minutesof sun. The solar transit is at 11:57 h and the length of time the moon will be visible will be 11 hours and 24 minutes.
http://gurumavin.com/to-save-ram-sethu-centre-to-dredge-pamban/ This page provides details of a proposal being revived to deepen the Pamban channel.
Travel through Sea islands:
- Pumorichan Tīvu (10km)
- Kursadi Tīvu (11.3km)
- Pumurichan Tīvu (11.3km)
- Bush Island (11.3km)
- Shingla Tīvu (15.7km)
- Musal Tīvu (22.2km)
- Pāmban Island (31.9km)
Road Bridge Rameshwaram channel:
Excerpts from an earlier blogpost:
Congratulations to Shri R. Ananthanarayanan for the service he has rendered to the nation by highlighting the contributions made by his late father, Shri PA Ramakrishnan; requesting Govt. of India to save Ramasetu and abandon the Sethu Channel project which makes no nautical sense.
Hope Govt of India under NaMo sees reason and declares Ramasetu a national monument, while scrapping the Sethu Channel Project.
Kalyanaraman
President, Rameshwaram Ramasetu Protection Movement
Copy of the letter has also been sent to Shri Narendra Modi ji, Prime Minister of India.
August 23, 2014
Shri Nitin Gadkariji
Hope Govt of India under NaMo sees reason and declares Ramasetu a national monument, while scrapping the Sethu Channel Project.
Kalyanaraman
President, Rameshwaram Ramasetu Protection Movement
Copy of the letter has also been sent to Shri Narendra Modi ji, Prime Minister of India.
August 23, 2014
Shri Nitin Gadkariji
Hon'ble Union Minister (Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Rural Development
Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation)
Govt. of India
New Delhi
Respected Sir,
Namaskaar,
I introduce myself as the Hon. Secretary of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Puthucode Kendra in Palakkad district of Kerala and based in Chennai. I have had the opportunity to work with nationalistic organisations and with a team of nationalists organised the First National Reconstruction Conference on Dec 25th and 26th 2008 at Chennai. It gives great pleasure in attaching the program details which looked at various issues confronting our nation including National Security, Illegal Immigration, Secularism, Law and Educational Reforms etc. Many eminent personalities including Gen. S.K. Sinha, Former Governor of J&K and Assam, Shri Michel Danino, Indologist, Shri R.K. Ohri, Former I.G. of Police and Shri Prakash Singh, Former D.G., B.S.F. participated in the conference and was chaired by Late Prof. Indiresan, Former Director of IIT, Madras.
My Late Father Shri P.A. Ramakrishnanji who passed away in Mar 2008 was the Executive Vice Chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Puthucode Kendra and Director of Bhavan's Sydney Centre. He was involved in the construction of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanyakumari working with Late Shri Eknath Ranadeji in 1960's and his last assignment in defence of Dharma was being involved in the Save Ram Setu Movement working with Dr. S. Kalyanaramanji who had carried out extensive research on the origins of Rama Sethu.
My Late Father Shri P.A. Ramakrishnanji who passed away in Mar 2008 was the Executive Vice Chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Puthucode Kendra and Director of Bhavan's Sydney Centre. He was involved in the construction of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanyakumari working with Late Shri Eknath Ranadeji in 1960's and his last assignment in defence of Dharma was being involved in the Save Ram Setu Movement working with Dr. S. Kalyanaramanji who had carried out extensive research on the origins of Rama Sethu.
It gives us great pleasure in enclosing copy of letter and photo of the Boat donated by my Late Father for construction of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the Full Page Colour Supplement on the importance of Saving Rama Sethu published by my Late Father in the The Hindu and Pioneer, New Delhi editions in July and Aug 2007. The Supplement contains his own technical article "Nightmare Ship Salvage Operation if Setu Samudram is aligned as a Mid Ocean Channel Passage" in which He conclusively established its non-viability and feasibly while comparing it with the Suez Canal Shipping Canal Project which He had the opportunity to visit in the 1950's and due to his vast experience in Shipping spanning more than six decades.
We take this opportunity to thank your goodself on your assurance recently to protect "Rama Sethu" while considering alternative routes to implement the project. However our earnest appeal to your goodself is to kindly consider scrapping the Setu Samudram Shipping Canal Project as it is completely detrimental to national interest as can be seen from the articles in the Supplement on Saving Rama Sethu and also suggested by Dr. R.K. Pachauriji in the report given to Govt. of India on the above.
Our main concerns on the Shipping Project is as follows ;
1. Loss of livelihood of fisherman.
2. Destruction of our valued flora and fauna in the fragile Gulf of Mannar due to high level of pollution and constant dredging.
3. National Security will be in peril as jurisdiction of our coastline will be confined to only 12 Nautical Miles and huge reserves of thorium available for our future energy security will be at risk.
4. Only small ships using the proposed canal due to limitations of draught and absolutely no time saving as highlighted by Capt Balakrishan, Ex. Mariner, Indian Navy resulting in negative cost benefit ration making the project economically unviable.
We appeal to your goodself to kindly consider the above earnestly and look forward to your receiving your favourable reply at the earliest convenience.
Warm Regards
R. Ananthanarayanan
50 (NP) Industrial Estate
Ekkattuthangal, Chennai 600 032
