New Delhi, September 3, 2012 | The Hindu
PTI
The Hindu Dredging work underway as part of the Sethusamudram Ship
Channel project. File photo
The Supreme Court on Monday granted six weeks more to the government to
apprise it of its stand on the controversial Sethusamudram project about which
a high level committee has said that an alternative alignment, other than the
one through mythological Ram Sethu, is not economically and ecologically
feasible.
A bench of justices H.L. Dattu and C.K. Prasad gave more time to the
government to disclose its stand on the project on Solicitor General Rohinton
Nariman plea for it.
Nariman said the Union Cabinet is yet to consider and take a decision on
the report and sought eight weeks more for the government, but the bench
granted it six weeks.
The apex court on July 2 had granted two months to the government to
come out with its stand after analysing the committee’s 37-page report.
The case relating to Ram Sethu had come under judicial scrutiny due to a
batch of petitions filed in the apex court against the ambitious Sethusamudram
project, whose execution allegedly could damage the mythological bridge.
Sethusamudram project is aimed at constructing a shorter navigational
route around India’s southern tip by breaching the Ram Sethu, said to have been
built by Lord Rama’s army of monkeys and bears to Ravana’s kingdom Lanka.
As per the Sethusamudram project, the shipping channel is proposed to be
30 metres wide, 12 metres deep and 167 kms long.
The Prime Minister had appointed the committee after the apex court had
asked the government to explore an alternate alignment for the shipping channel
to prevent damage to the mythological bridge.
The committee, in its report, had raised questions on the alternative
alignment after taking into account various aspects including it’s economic and
ecological assessment.
Appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the panel, headed by eminent
environmentalist R K Pachauri, had analysed various aspects and said the
alternate route aimed to protect Ram Sethu, also called Adams Bridge, was not
an acceptable option and not in public interest.
