Why Sethusamudram Project is a disaster

Sethu Samundaram Project was started to construct a Ship channel by cutting through Ramsetu(or Adam's Bridge) an underwater chain of islets about 41Km long strecthing from Rameshwaram in South India to SriLanka.Government says that it will lead to reduction in time for movements of Ships that move from West coast of India to East Coast ie. from Arabian Sea to Bay of Bengal. Indian government is going ahead with this project without doing adequate research on its effect on natural surroundings and ecological balance.

I will mention few points in short:

1)Ecological Balance: If this project went ahead, it will lead to endangering of thousands of rare species that live in and around the coastal areas of South India. According to scientists the Canal will lead to changes in wave formation and movement of water which are highly sensitive for undersea aquatic organisms.Once the Shiping canal is made the frequent movement of ships around the place will lead to pollution and hence further danger to flora and fauna.The temperature,chemical composition,sand formation etc everything will change once this channel is made.In short it will be a natural disaster in long term.
2)Natural Safety: Geologists and Experts say that Ram Setu played a major role in saving coastal areas on another side of bridge from Tsunami of 2004.Many villages and lives were saved in India and Srilanka due to this.Once the bridge is destroyed and canal is made then we will lose this natural security of our coastal areas.Ironically yesterday Indonesia was hit with earthquake and government has warned people around coastal areas for Tsunami.
3)Thorium resources: Sands of the coastal area of region adjoining Rameshwaram is rich in Thorium that is required as fuel for Fast breeder Reactor(FBR). A massive research has been taken down by Indian Scientists to use Thorium as a fuel instead of Uranium.India has most efficient FBRs in world.As told earlier,due to changes in sea wave the sand formation of coastal areas will change. According to experts it will not only stop natural sand deposition but will also lead to erosion of sea coasts.
Many Nuclear scientists are very critical of this project for this reason.
4)Threat to National Security: Once the Shipping canal is built it will lead to many International Ships docking in Indian waters. It is known that many countries now use high technology and commercial ships for espionage. Currently foreign ships are not allowed to dock near Indian borders without permission of Army.But after the Canal is made it will become an International Route and ship around the world will have right to pass through it.
5)Livelihood of Fishermen: After the canal is made all fishermen will lose their job because of formation of ports and docks around region.Government says that this will lead to economic boom around region but actually it will lead to just unemployment of people who earn their living by small business around coast.

Why government is doing this?

Even government doesnt know!!
If you read newspaper you will come to know that suddenly government gave a go-ahead for this project without proper research and analysis. This you can come to know from view of R. Gopalakrishnan, former director of the Geological Survey of India. "You have to consult scientific organizations about the geo-physical structure. Digging two-three bore wells will not tell you the structure of the area. We have a marine geology division. Why was it not consulted?" asked R. Gopalakrishnan in an interview.Many Geologists,Scientists and experts wonder whether so much loss is justfied for so small economic benefit? It is as if Left-led government is hell bent to go ahead with any project that hurts sentiments of crore of people.
The court passed this order on 31 August in response to a special plea filed by Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, who told the court of a covert government plan to use explosives to blast the Sethu.

Please think over it and make your family,friends and colleagues aware of this looming crisis

For more details check http://www.livemint.com/sethuproject.htm

SAVE RAM SETU