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Sethu project: Govt scraps panel report
ByDhananjay Mahapatra, TNN | Feb 26, 2013, 01.49 AM IST
NEW DELHI: The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it intends to go ahead with the Rs 25,000 crore Sethusamudram shipping channel project, which had raised a political storm after it was revealed that the mythical Ram Sethu would face dredging.
After the controversy over the Centre's affidavit in 2007 doubting the existence of Ramayana and Ram, a statement which was quickly withdrawn following waves of protest, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had appointed an expert group headed by environmentalist R K Pachauri to study the economic and ecological viability of the planned shipping route and the alternative alignment.
The expert committee, after a detailed study, said that "neither alignment 4A (the alternative one) nor alignment 6 meet the benchmark Internal Rate Return (IRR) of 12% for the range of scenarios examined".
The committee said it would be difficult to rule out the possibility of oil spills completely, even with the most stringent measures and precautions. "In conclusion, the Pachauri committee has found the project unviable both from the economic as well as the ecological angles," the Centre said in its affidavit.
It said the government had approved and commenced implementation of the project based on well researched technical studies and after getting the necessary clearances including environmental clearances.
Citing favourable reports of the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), project consultant as well as the Committee of Eminent Persons, the Centre said, "The project has economic, navigational and strategic advantages and, therefore, the government of India has been pursuing the project. An expenditure of Rs 829.32 crore has already been incurred on the project as on June 30, 2012. Given the advantages of the project, the government of India intends to pursue implementation of the project.
The centre also requested the Supreme Court "to resolve the contentious issues raised by the petitioners".
Petitioners, including Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalitha, had sought realignment of the shipping channel to save Ram Sethu from any damage. Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy had requested the court to declare Ram Sethu a national monument.
The SC had on August 31, 2007 restrained the government from damaging Ram Sethu while dredging for the Rs 25,000 crore project, which was inaugurated in July 2005 by PM Manmohan Singh. The court later suggested that the government examine an alternative route through Dhanuskodi to avoid dredging Ram Sethu.
Then solicitor general R F Nariman on July 2 last year had informed a bench headed by Justice H L Dattu that the ministry of shipping had accepted the report rejecting alignment 4A as an alternative route and it would now be placed before the Union Cabinet.
The Centre had in February 2008 filed an application seeking resumption of work on Sethusamudram project which, when commissioned, would allow ships to sail through the Palk Strait from either coast, saving the vessels from circling Sri Lanka.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sethu-project-Govt-scraps-panel-report/articleshow/18683355.cms