The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `Sethu project is no threat to biosphere'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 10, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`Sethu project is no threat to biosphere'

By Our Special Correspondent

MADURAI, JULY 9. All precautionary steps will be taken to ensure that no damage to the Gulf of Mannar biosphere is caused while implementing the Sethusamudram canal project, the Union Minister for Shipping and Transport, T.R. Baalu, said today.

Addressing newspersons here, he said the nearest island would be 20 km from the canal. As one who had been Environment Minister, he was aware of the need to protect the biosphere and hence a new alignment was chosen in the place of two earlier ones. The third alignment was drawn up in a manner which would not affect the biosphere.

Mr. Baalu said the announcement on the project made in the budget by the Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, infused the confidence that the over 140-year-old dream would become a reality. He did not foresee any hurdle to mobilising funds, as the process of forming a special purpose vehicle had been set in motion.

The chairmen of all profit-making ports on the east coast, including Tuticorin, Chennai, Ennore (Tamil Nadu); Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Paradeep (Orissa), agreed to allocate funds. There was a proposal to float a Sethusamudram Canal Corporation. The canal project would depend on external and internal borrowings and government allocations. The Government of India would participate in the equity and stand guarantee for the borrowings.

The National Environment Engineering Research Institute presented its report on the environment impact of the project and a techno-economic feasibility report was expected by this month-end. One of the greatest achievements of the project would be the reclamation of Dhanuskodi, he said.

`Secretariat project unlikely'

Mr. Baalu said the chances of the State Government's new Secretariat project taking shape "are minimal". "The project will not be implemented for reasons best known to them." An Environment Ministry order on taking up mega projects laid down clear guidelines. He hoped that the officials would guide the Government properly on this issue.

Appealing to the Government to approve introduction of a ferry service between Tuticorin and Colombo, Mr. Baalu wondered why it backed out at the time of signing a memorandum of understanding after clearing the proposal in principle. The Kerala Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, met him twice with a request for introduction of a ferry service between Kochi and Colombo. Tamil Nadu should approve the Tuticorin-Colombo service "to facilitate tourism activity," he said.

The State Government should utilise the services of the 12 Tamil Nadu Central Ministers for getting more investments in the next two years.

The execution of the Vaigai reclamation project, sanctioned by him as Environment Minister, was being delayed by the State Government, Mr. Baalu alleged.

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