Tamil Nadu to scrap Sethusamudram project

     The Tamil Nadu government informed the Indian Supreme Court on Monday(29) that the Sethusamudram project should be scrapped “as the project is of questionable economic value and not in the public interest.”

Tamil Nadu, in its affidavit, pointed out that the Pachauri Committee had concluded that it was unlikely that public interest would be served if the project was implemented as per Alignment No. 4 A (an alternative route suggested by the court as against the original Alignment No. 6 which will cut through Ram Sethu.)

Referring to the Centre’s stand that the project be implemented as per the original alignment, Tamil Nadu said: “The project has a potential danger of affecting the livelihood of fishermen living in the area. The entire coastline and territorial waters of the area is also a rich trove of marine food resources.

“The project is a serious threat to the biodiversity of the region and hence needs to be looked at afresh taking into consideration the economic viability, ecological impact and sensitive religious sentiments of the people of the country.”

It also sought to direct the Centre to declare Ram Sethu/Adam’s Bridge as a national monument and to restrain the Centre from undertaking any activity that would adversely affect Ram Sethu.