Varanasi: Voicing concern against the prospective destruction of the under-sea bridge between Sri Lanka and Rameswaram under the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project, the BJP recently claimed that any damage to the ‘Ram Setu’ will undermine country’s nuclear potential.
"Dr Tad Murty, Canadian tsunami expert on the Sethusamudram Project has feared that the present alignment of the project could trigger a tsunami in the channel and cause devastation in South Kerala," former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi told newspersons here.
If Dr Murty’s fear proved right then the country’s nuclear potential would be in danger due to the project as southern Kerala has large deposits of Thorium, an integral source of nuclear power, Dr Joshi added.
He said, "The BJP is not against the Sethusamudram Project but is opposed to the present alignment of the project which envisages cutting a traverse across the Palk Straits between Sri Lanka and India after destroying the Ram Setu." The project also involves creation of a navigable canal across the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay and Palk Straits, which will save 400 km of sailing distance between east and west coasts of India.
Taking strong exception to Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu’s claims that the under-sea bridge between Sri Lanka and Rameshwaram was not Ram Setu, but Adam’s Bridge, Dr Joshi said "Even the district gazetteer of Ramnathpuram district describes the 45-km ancient man-made under-sea bridge as Ram Setu, Nal Setu and Hanuman Setu." A six-member BJP team, including Ved Prakash Goyal (MP) L Ganeshan (Tamil Nadu BJP president) besides him among others, did a detailed study in Rameshwaram following which it was found that fishermen from all communities revered the under-sea bridge made of limestone shoals as Setu Temple, Dr Joshi said.
"If their boats hit the bridge during the course of shipping, they would return to perform a special ‘puja’ to redeem their mistake," Dr Joshi claimed.
Scientists and environmentalists, have also expressed concern over the destruction of the under-sea bridge, saying it would destroy population of export worthy fish in the sea.
"If the project progresses in accordance with the alignment finalised by the Steering Committee in 1996 instead of the present alignment, then we will favour the project as the 1996 alignment ensured no harm to the Ram Setu under the project," he maintained.
He said, "the under-sea bridge (built by Lord Ram’s monkey army to cross into Lanka) not only represented a historical treasure, but its destruction would also result in India and Sri Lanka losing their historic right to passage on the sea water."
Dr Joshi warned that, "If the UPA government goes ahead with its plan of demolishing the Ram Setu, we will launch a nationwide movement."
— UNI
http://www.newkerala.com/news5.php?action=fullnews&id=28884
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