03-28-2007, 08:51 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->March 26, 2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Press Statement issued by Dr. M.M. Joshi
SAVE RAMASETU, SAVE INDIA'S CULTURAL
HERITAGE SAVE KERALA
The Bharatiya Janata Party had appointed a Committee to ascertain that facts about the wide spread apprehensions and resentment among the people at the impending destruction of a sacred monument - the bridge - which is revered by millions of people, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, as Setu Mandir, Rama Setu, Adisetu Adam's Bridge etc. and is a unique structure known as a symbol of Ancient Indian Heritage and an extra-ordinary feat of engineering skill. The existence of the bridge is well established by the Maps of 1747, 1788 and 1804 and records show that it really joined Ceylon to India until 1480 and people used to travel on foot on it. The NASA pictures have also established the existence and antiquity of the bridge. The Logo of Survey of India is Asetu Himachalam ( i.e. from the Setu to Himalayas). The major cause of the resentment arises from the fact that the UPA government is insisting on the proposed alignment of the canal which will destroy the bridge.
The issue in question is not the Project but the alignment and the reasons for selecting it arbitrarily and starting the work without proper studies which has resulted in hurting the sentiments of not only Hindus but of other communities as well. Crores of Hindus believe that this under waterbridge was constructed at the command of Sri Rama. The Committee is also not opposed to SSCP but is certainly concerned with the preservation of this most ancient cultural heritage of our country which infact should be declared as a World Heritage Site.
The committee was told that the operations at the bridge which were stymied by the breakdown of the machines are about to start now within a couple of days. Obviously this would result in destroying the great cultural heritage which could be and should be saved by choosing an alternative route which is available and was suggested by the Steering Committee. There is no explanation as to why this alignment was rejected. I had, therefore, written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting him to order for immediate suspension of the project work on Rama Setu on the following grounds :
1. The project should have been designed to incorporate tsunami protection structure along India's Coast line which was impacted by the devasting tsunami.
2. The alignment has been determined without any serious consultation regarding environmental and security impacts.
3. Ignoring the concerns raised by Prof. Tad S. Murthy, world's foremost tsunami expert, who categorically stated the disastrous consequences of this alignment on Kerala coastal region (which perhaps was saved due to the existing bridge), the alignment was not changed.
4. NEERI's report which forms the basis of the alignment was pre-tsunmi. The impact of tsunami on the bathymetry was never analysed by NEERI.
5. India's strategic and maritime interests have been ignored. There is nothing to show that before inaugurating the project the Indian Navy was consulted on the full implications of the present canal.
6. The implications of the tsunami on the placer deposits and the implications of the natural radioactivity from the blck thorium sands of Kerala have not been taken in to account.
7. Several queries raised by the PMO on 8th March, 2005 were responded to by the Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust only on 30th June 2005 (as seen from the Government website) without any consultations from experts including NEERI. And within two days, thereafter, without any detailed review, the project was inaugurated.
<b>This raises serious concerns of the absence of due diligence and utter disregard for the concerns expressed about the destruction of Kerala if present alignment is maintained. What is strange is that even the PMO failed in applying their mind to get the re-evaluation of the project by experts and accepted blindly the causal reply by the Chairman TPT. What was the reason for this haste.</b>
8. The government of India has failed to protect the rights of India in historic waters in Gulf of Mannar. The UPA government has succumbed to U.S. interests by an arbitrary choice of an alignment running very close to the international water boundary.
9. The UPA government by choosing this alignment has deliberately ignored the sentiments of not only Hindus but of all communities who hold Ram Setuas a symbol of cultural heritage. The UPA government has rather considered US interests more important than the national sentiments and interests.
<b>While the BJP is not opposed to the SSCP, the party on the other hand is certainly and seriously concerned with the preservation and protection of this most ancient cultural heritage of our country. The BJP believes that the preservation of our rich and unique heritage is as important as the economic development of our country. And by selecting an alternative alignment this can be achieved. </b>
The work on the bridge site should be immediately stopped and re-evaluation of the Project with ref. to the concerns raised by experts should be immediately undertaken.
(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Press Statement issued by Dr. M.M. Joshi
SAVE RAMASETU, SAVE INDIA'S CULTURAL
HERITAGE SAVE KERALA
The Bharatiya Janata Party had appointed a Committee to ascertain that facts about the wide spread apprehensions and resentment among the people at the impending destruction of a sacred monument - the bridge - which is revered by millions of people, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, as Setu Mandir, Rama Setu, Adisetu Adam's Bridge etc. and is a unique structure known as a symbol of Ancient Indian Heritage and an extra-ordinary feat of engineering skill. The existence of the bridge is well established by the Maps of 1747, 1788 and 1804 and records show that it really joined Ceylon to India until 1480 and people used to travel on foot on it. The NASA pictures have also established the existence and antiquity of the bridge. The Logo of Survey of India is Asetu Himachalam ( i.e. from the Setu to Himalayas). The major cause of the resentment arises from the fact that the UPA government is insisting on the proposed alignment of the canal which will destroy the bridge.
The issue in question is not the Project but the alignment and the reasons for selecting it arbitrarily and starting the work without proper studies which has resulted in hurting the sentiments of not only Hindus but of other communities as well. Crores of Hindus believe that this under waterbridge was constructed at the command of Sri Rama. The Committee is also not opposed to SSCP but is certainly concerned with the preservation of this most ancient cultural heritage of our country which infact should be declared as a World Heritage Site.
The committee was told that the operations at the bridge which were stymied by the breakdown of the machines are about to start now within a couple of days. Obviously this would result in destroying the great cultural heritage which could be and should be saved by choosing an alternative route which is available and was suggested by the Steering Committee. There is no explanation as to why this alignment was rejected. I had, therefore, written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting him to order for immediate suspension of the project work on Rama Setu on the following grounds :
1. The project should have been designed to incorporate tsunami protection structure along India's Coast line which was impacted by the devasting tsunami.
2. The alignment has been determined without any serious consultation regarding environmental and security impacts.
3. Ignoring the concerns raised by Prof. Tad S. Murthy, world's foremost tsunami expert, who categorically stated the disastrous consequences of this alignment on Kerala coastal region (which perhaps was saved due to the existing bridge), the alignment was not changed.
4. NEERI's report which forms the basis of the alignment was pre-tsunmi. The impact of tsunami on the bathymetry was never analysed by NEERI.
5. India's strategic and maritime interests have been ignored. There is nothing to show that before inaugurating the project the Indian Navy was consulted on the full implications of the present canal.
6. The implications of the tsunami on the placer deposits and the implications of the natural radioactivity from the blck thorium sands of Kerala have not been taken in to account.
7. Several queries raised by the PMO on 8th March, 2005 were responded to by the Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust only on 30th June 2005 (as seen from the Government website) without any consultations from experts including NEERI. And within two days, thereafter, without any detailed review, the project was inaugurated.
<b>This raises serious concerns of the absence of due diligence and utter disregard for the concerns expressed about the destruction of Kerala if present alignment is maintained. What is strange is that even the PMO failed in applying their mind to get the re-evaluation of the project by experts and accepted blindly the causal reply by the Chairman TPT. What was the reason for this haste.</b>
8. The government of India has failed to protect the rights of India in historic waters in Gulf of Mannar. The UPA government has succumbed to U.S. interests by an arbitrary choice of an alignment running very close to the international water boundary.
9. The UPA government by choosing this alignment has deliberately ignored the sentiments of not only Hindus but of all communities who hold Ram Setuas a symbol of cultural heritage. The UPA government has rather considered US interests more important than the national sentiments and interests.
<b>While the BJP is not opposed to the SSCP, the party on the other hand is certainly and seriously concerned with the preservation and protection of this most ancient cultural heritage of our country. The BJP believes that the preservation of our rich and unique heritage is as important as the economic development of our country. And by selecting an alternative alignment this can be achieved. </b>
The work on the bridge site should be immediately stopped and re-evaluation of the Project with ref. to the concerns raised by experts should be immediately undertaken.
(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->