An expert team, led by Dr R K Pachauri, Chairman of Inter-governmental Panel on climate Change, has visited costal Dhanushkodi and neighbouring areas to analyse the possibility of finding an alternative site for Sethusamudhram Shipping Canal Project.
Officials said the team after visiting the area yesterday, also interacted with Coast Guard officials at Mandapam.
The panel was formed following the direction from the Supreme Court to find a solution to the problem.
The sources said one proposal suggested was digging part of land near Dhanushkodi to connect Palk Straits and Gulf of Mannar.
SSCP proposes linking Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka by creating a shipping channel through the shallow sea and a chain of islands known as ‘Ramar Sethu and Adam’s Bridge.
The project was flagged off in 2005 but later found opposition following a decision to dredge Ramasethu, believed to have been constructed by Lord Rama to cross to Sri Lanka.
On April 21 2010, the Supreme Court had put a virtual stop to SSCP, saying it would await a “full and comprehensive” Environmental Impact Analysis on feasibility of an alternative route through Dhanushkodi instead of Ramasethu.
