The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to verify BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy's information that a Cabinet decision has been taken to “not touch” the ancient Ram Sethu or the Adam's Bridge in the implementation of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu scheduled a hearing for November 26 to hear the government on the issue after Mr. Swamy urged that the apex court should verify the Centre's stand and wrap up the litigation pending with it.
It was Mr. Swamy who had moved the Supreme Court seeking the project to be scrapped as the original route was to cut across the Ram Sethu.
He had requested the court for mandamus to direct the government “to follow any other alternative route or alignment without affecting or destroying or demolishing the historic and sacred place Rama Sethu.”
Acting on the suggestions of the Supreme Court, the government had then appointed a high-powered committee under Dr. R.K. Pachauri to study whether an alternative route to Alignment 6 (cutting through Ram Sethu) was feasible.
The committee was to consider if construction of the project was viable along Alignment 4A, an alternative route running on land north of Dhanushkodi, thereby avoiding any chances of affecting Ram Sethu.
The court had then reserved its judgment until such time the government got Alignment 4A evaluated and a report submitted to it.
The committee had referred the question of Alignment 4A to the Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).
In 2009, Mr. Swamy had moved the Supreme Court alleging that the NIO had completed the study and handed over the report to the Government in March 2009.
He had voiced apprehensions that the report may never be submitted in the Supreme Court as the consequences may be to the scrap the project itself.
The Supreme Court had in 2012 also asked the government to make its stand clear on whether the ancient Ram Sethu could be declared as a national monument.
