07-21-2007, 08:38 PM (This post was last modified: 07-21-2007, 09:09 PM by Bharatvarsh.)
Two more references in Ponniyan Selvan:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"Who said that we must let them starve? Of course we must send food supplies. But, they could be sent from Chozla Territories via Nagapattinam Port. Or they can be sent from the Pandiya Kingdom from the port at Sethu. Where is the need to send food supplies from these dry deserts of Thondai? I am saying this because we must consider the setback to our plans for a northern campaign because of this."
http://www.tamilnation.org/literature/kalk...code/mp278b.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's in Chapter 52.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->But, the Lankan forces which had come to help him, began retreating towards the coast. We followed those retreating men till the Port of Sethu. All survivors of that Singhalese Battalion escaped to their island in small boats and rafts. My father wanted to teach a lesson to those Lankan kings who often helped the Pandiyas against us. He decided to send a large army under the Command of the Younger Lord Velir of Kodumbalur to Lanka. It took us some months to collect supplies and organize the ships for this expedition. We camped at Sethu, organized the campaign and sent off our army in the ships; only after we had news of their safe landing in Matottam did we return. By the time I came back to Pazlayarai, more than two and a half years had passed.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Ram Setu Protection Movement Gathers Momentum</b>
<b>Massive Madurai Rally Resolves To Prepare Society For A "Final Struggle" </b>
By Sankara. Mahadevan (23 July 2007)
The streets of Madurai are eternal witness to fight for justice. Valiant Kannagi could bring the erring Pandiya king to book by her fearless struggle here. Nakkeeran, the chief of Tamil Sangham here, dared question Lord Shiva himself on matters of principle and faced the consequences bravely. On Sunday, July 22, 2007, under an overcast sky threatening to cause a downpour, the junction of North and West Maasi Streets of Madurai (Tamilnadu) was filled with determined Hindu men and women who received distinctive direction from religious leaders and functionaries of Hindu organizations on preparations for a struggle to protect Ram Setu built by Shri Ram.
The huge rally of 25,000 people, including 8,000 women, was organized by the Rameswaram Ram Setu Protection Movement (RRSPM) to chart a course of action so that the just demand of the Hindus is heeded. Three resolutions passed at the meeting appealed for â
i.          declaration of Ram Setu as an ancient national monument under the Acient Monuments Act of 1904 by the government.
ii.         observing fast in public on the ensuing Aadi (Ashad) Amaavaasya day (August 12) to pray to god to effect a change in the attitude of state and Central governments in the matter of Ram Setu, and
iii.        celebrating Raksha Bandhan this year (August 28) as "Ram setu Rasha Bandhan" to create awareness among all, about Ram setu protection campaign.Â
Dr. Pravin Togadia of Vishwa Hindu Parishad said that Hindus always won whenever they put up a struggle. "We fought against the partition of Bengal and won" he reminded the audience. He exhorted them to contact "crores of Hindu families and tell them that Ram Setu is still there in Rameswaram and modern day Babars are out to destroy it". For the ensuing three months they should motivate people "for a final struggle" when called for. Togadia asked the people to steel their will to take a vow: "We shall not allow the Ram Setu to be broken, at any cost".Â
Refreshingly, Togadia referred to the Ram Setu as a road Padmini of Jaffna in Srilanka took to reach her husband, the Maharana of Mewar. He pointed out that the Setu joins the mainlands of two friendly countries, India and Srilanka and this bond must be saved. No one questions either the presence of the hair of the Prophet in Hasrat Bal mosque in Kashmir or the Virgin Mary belief simply because they are Muslim and Christian beliefs. The presence of Ram Setu is questioned because it is a Hindu belief, he argued. Documentary evidence is not lacking, "let ministerT.R.Baalu study them" he said. Sentiments of Muslims were heeded and government project has been modified accordingly in the instance of Delhi metro rail to avoid harm to Qutub Minar. Hindu sentiments must be respected and the Sethu Samudram Shipping Canal should be diverted to leave Ram Setu untouched, he demanded.
Pejawar Pithadeesh Swami Vishwesa Tirtha assured the Hindus that he was all prepared to go from village to village to do Dharma Jagaran as he did during the 1981 Meenakshipuram mass conversion episode. He was visibly upset over politicians dubbing Ram Bhaktas as traitors. He cited the example of Hindus fighting against injustice in Tirumala Tirupati and succeeding in the end. The Ram Setu campaign too will succeed, he said, if Hindus sacrifice adequately. The Swami offered to join the Aadi Amavaasya fast at Rameswaram (see box 'Hindus Called To Act').
Shri Uday Patwardhan, all India General Secretary of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, warned that Ministers who insult Hindus and try to go ahead with breaking Ram Setu, will not be allowed to enter their office, as they will be prevented by the one crore workers in BMS, many of them Ram Bhaktas. He announced that thousands of fishermen who adore Ram Setu are joining the ranks of Ram Setu Protection Movement along Tamilnadu coast.
Shri. S.Vedantham, Working President of VHP, underlined the need for Hindus to be ready to sacrifice their lives like Muslims do for their religion. That alone will make the Hindus heard, he added.
Shri. Kulandaivel, former Vice Chancellor of Avinasilingam University and President of RRSPM, who presided over the meeting, demanded that Ram Setu should receive the honour that Taj Mahal, a mere memorial, receives.
His Holiness Marudhachala Adigalar of Perur Aadheenam, a Tamil scholar, raised a pertinent point; he said: "While implementing the Golden Quadrilateral road project, a lot of Hindu tax payers' money was spent in diversions to accommodate Mosques; so there should be no hesitation in spending Hindus' tax money to divert the canal and to accommodate Ram Setu".
Swami Omkarananda of Theni Chidbhavananda Ashram recalled poet Subramania Bharati's dream of laying a road on Ram Setu by leveling it up. He led the relevant chant of Bharati and the huge audience responded enthusiastically.
Swami Sankarananda pointed out that only a lunatic would say that there is no Meenakshi temple in Madurai. Those who say that there is no Ram Setu in Rameswaram fall in that category, he quipped.
Shri Rama Gopalan, Working President of RRSPM pilloried politicians who advocate a Ravana culture in the place of Ram Culture. He warned that after the ancient Bamiyan Buddha was destroyed, Afgan people had to suffer hell under Taliban regime; if Ram Setu is destroyed, Hindus too will have to suffer under the local Talibans.
Swami Raghavananda spoke on the occasion, adding his support.
The dignitaries who had expressed solidarity with the Ram Setu Protection movement in the messages they sent include: Mata Amritanandamyi Devi, Mahant Nrityagopal Das and the Holy Aadheenakarthas of Dharmapuram and Thiruvavaduthurai.
Leaders of Hindu organizations who attended the meeting included: Shri Sukumaran Nambiar, Treasurer, RRSPM; Shri. R.V.S. Marimuthu, Prant Sanghchalak, Tamilnadu; Shri. Madhubhai Kulkarni, Akhil Bharatiya Bauddhik Pramukh od RSS; Shri. K.Suryanarayana Rao, Member, Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal, RSS; Shri. Setu Madhavan, Dakshina Kshetra Pracharak, Shri. L. Ganesan, state BJP President; Shri. U. Sundar, Uttar Tamilnadu Prant Pracharak and Shri. Sthanumaalayan, Dakshin Tamilnadu Prant Pracharak.
About 40 youngsters carried a 'flame of justice' from Rameswaram to Madurai, informed Shri. R.R. Gopalji, Youth Wing President of VHP.
Shri. Kumaran Sethupathi, belonging to the family of rulers of Ramanathapuram, was present on the dais.
Shri. Pon. Radhakrishnan, state vice president of BJP and former Central minister, proposed a vote of thanks. With the rendering of an invocation to Bharatmata by Samykta Tamilnadu Samparka Pramukh Shri. Krishna. Jagannathan, the rally came to an end. The numerous participants returned home with a resolve to muster support in a big way to the mighty task of protecting Ram Setu.
(With inputs from Shri. Pudhuvai Saravanan and VSK Chennai)
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
07-28-2007, 06:51 PM (This post was last modified: 07-28-2007, 08:02 PM by Bodhi.)
<span style='color:red'>July 28, 2007 Destruction Status - 17.57% </span>
Honorable Supreme Court of India had, earlier this month, recalled the PIL hearings from Madras High Court, and then given 4 weeks of notice to the Government of India to respond. Not only the Honorable courts not give any stay, but also allowed Government 4 weeks to respond on the questions of why not declare Ram Setu as a national monument and why not realign canal without touching the Rama Setu.
A month is enough for the Government of the communist-christianist-Dravidist anti-India nexus to silently accomplish the irreparable damage in the Setu area. And indeed, with a complete contempt for the Court, they are doing it!!
17.57 % of dredging in Setu area is complete as of July 26, 2007.
______ Total Dredging Quantity - 4,80,50,000 cum
______ Dredged Quantity - 8444658 cum till 26/7/2007
This progress was 14% on July 17, 2007. Which means with this rate, they don't need a lot of time to finish off the remaining dredging in the Setu Area.
This means, while the Honorable court patiently awaits the government to obediently respond to its questions in 4 weeks, government is silently and religiously dredging away the Setu area. Why the nonsense of preparing the response to the court, while Setu would have been irreparably damaged by then?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Setusamudram chief told to go on leave </b>
Pioneer.com
IANS | Chennai
The Central Government has asked the chairman of the Setusamudram Corporation Ltd (SCL) NK. Raghupathy to go on leave.Â
Raghupathy was asked by the Shipping Ministry to go on two-month leave on Saturday night within hours of his telling mediapersons about an email from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) regarding the Adam's Bridge, through which the Rs 25 billion canal will be cut.
NASA has said that the structure of sand bars and rocks situated in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka, known as Ram Setu or Adam's Bridge in maps, is a natural phenomenon and not a man-made structure, Raghupathy told the media, claiming he had received an e-mail from the Johnson Space Centre. "This evidence contradicts claims that said it (Ram Setu) was created by humans," Raghupathy told mediapersons.
"The chain of small islets connecting India and Sri Lanka are real geographical features that have been mapped for centuries. Chains of islands form a variety of natural geological processes and their occurrence is not evidence of any human activity," he said quoting the email.
"My sharing this communication with the media is without prejudice to the contentions made in yet to be disposed of litigation concerning the Ram Setu controversy in the Supreme Court," Raghupathy added.
Several petitions against the controversial Setusamudram ship canal project are pending in the apex court. Environmental groups and NGOs have filed most of them.
The petitioners say the canal connecting the Bay of Bengal to the Indian Ocean will destroy the region's marine ecology and fisheries.
Raghupathy, who has headed SCL since it was set up two years ago, said on Saturday night that he wanted to go on a month's leave as he was "overworked".
Raghupathy is also chairman of the Tuticorin Port Trust, the nodal agency for implementing the Setusamudram project. He handed over charge of both the units to Chennai Port Trust chairman K Suresh.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
These moron used anything from NASA as God's word, Do they know stink called politics from NASA? Indians babus are complete jokers.
08-02-2007, 09:32 AM (This post was last modified: 08-02-2007, 09:35 AM by Bodhi.)
<span style='color:red'>Aug 2, 2007 NASA Disowns the conclusions drawn by the Government and Media </span>
In a swift development, NASA clarified its stand and specifically denied that it had concluded anything about the origins of the Rama Setu, and clearly disowned the conclusions drawn by the Government officials and Indian media.
In reply to an e-mail of Dr. S Kalyanaraman, Earthweb officials stated that the Astronaut-images did not provide information about the age of the Bridge and that their comments to SSCP officials should not have been treated as scientifically rigorous conclusions. They disowned all such conclusions as drwan widely by SSCP officials and cheered by the Indian media a couple of days back as "both a misinterpretation and misreporting".
Reproduced below is the complete text of the e-mail communication:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->From: JSC-Earthweb <>
Date: Aug 2, 2007 3:24 AM
Subject: RE: Evidences for human activity in Rama Setu (Adam's bridge)
Thank you for contacting us regarding this issue. Our response to inquiries regarding Adam's Bridge is based solely on the information captured in the astronaut photography dataset. Astronaut photography does not provide information on the age of islands in the Palk Strait, nor can it provide information on the subsurface structure or composition of the islands. We therefore cannot speculate on the validity of other origin narratives for the Palk Strait islands.
Chains of islands typically form from a variety of natural geological processes and their occurrence, by themselves, is not evidence of any human activity. We offer no conclusion regarding the ultimate origin of the Palk Strait islands in the response that has been widely quoted, we simply state that island chains form by natural processes. Based on the vast majority of scientifically rigorous, published studies of island chains around the world this statement is valid. To interpret our response as a scientifically rigorous conclusion as to the nature of the Palk Strait islands is both a misinterpretation and misreporting of our response, and is inappropriate considering the limitations of our data.
Thank you for your interest in astronaut photography of Earth!
Earthweb
The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth
NASA Johnson Space Center http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
Dr. Kalyanaraman had written to Earthweb:
From: kalyan97
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2007 5:37 AM
To: JSC-Earthweb; earthweb@...
Subject: Evidences for human activity in Rama Setu (Adam's bridge)
For evidence of human activity from prehistoric times, there is a large body of resourcs (appended below). What does EarthWeb know about this? I am writing this in the context of a Press note released citing Earthweb (NASA) opinion.
I would like a clarification from Earthweb inquiring about the basis on which NASA pictures lead to a conclusion that there was no human activity in the area? The matter should be clarified so that there is no misreporting of Earthweb opinions as 'scientific fact' from NASA.
Please clarify.
Thanks and regards,
S. Kalyanaraman, Ph.D.
Director, Sarasvati Research Centre,
Chennai 600015 kalyan97@...
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Do we expect too much from our responsible and matured media, in expecting propoerly reported and verified Truth? Had any of the National Dailies and TV Channels which had widely covered the news bothered to check the facts or clarified the matter with NASA/EarthWeb, before printing such headlines as "NASA debunks Ram sethu myth : Indian Express", "Ram Sethu not man made, says NASA : NDTV", and "Nasa to the rescue of Suez of East : Telegraph"? Can we now expect them to give equally warm and wide representation to the latest debunking of SSCP officials' conclusions by NASA?
<span style='color:red'>A Detailed Study Necessary : ISRO Chief </span>
The noted space scientist and chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr Madhavan Nair said that a detailed study was necessary to determine whether the Ram Setu (Adam's Bridge), the ancient structure between India and Sri Lanka, was manmade or not.
"Satellite images showed the existence of an almost continuous structure just below the surface of the sea, sometimes barely a few feet, between the two countries. However, the composition of the structure is not known. A thorough investigation will be necessary to find out what it is made of," he said.
ISRO Chief was addressing a press conference to inform that India would be launching its satellite "Chandrayan" by middle of next year, carrying out scientific experiments on moon, Hindustan Times reports.
In the meanwhile, defying all hopes, prayers, appeals, and even disregarding the observations of the Honerable Court, Government is forging ahead with destruction of the sacred monument. The project website reported that as on Aug 2, 2007, the total quantity of 9.35 million cubic meter has already been dredged till August 2, 2007, out of total estimated 48.05 Million cum from the Setu Area. This translates into the destruction status of 19.46%.
This is despite the observations of the Madras High Court on June 19, 2007 that:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"We are not inclined to grant interim relief at this stage, as it would hamper further work in the project. However, we leave it to the Union of India to decide whether the actual cutting of Adams Bridge/Rama Sethu could be postponed till the issues involved in these petitions are considered by this Court."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Protect Ramsethu-Amma </b>
8/4/2007 6:26:22 AM HK
Kochi: 'It is the responsibility of our society to protect Ram Sethu' wrote Mata Amrithanandamayi in her message expressing solidarity with the Ram Sethu Protection Movement's Meeting held at Madurai. Ram Sethu is revered by millions of devotees and Sethu's place in our history is undisputable.
In Kochi, Rameswaram Ram Sethu Raksha Samithi has been formed by Socio-Cultural- Environmental organisations in Kerala. V.K. Viswanathan is selected as Samithi's convenor.
Samithi will conduct Awareness campaign, Sathyagrahas and prayer meetings all over Kerala. Ramsethu Raksha pledge will be taken in the August 17 th meeting at Thiruvananthauram, informed Kshetra Samrakshana Samithi prachar pramukh A. Jayakumar.
08-10-2007, 06:00 PM (This post was last modified: 08-10-2007, 06:02 PM by Husky.)
Islam tends to openly destroy and take criminal pride in its vandalism and murder. Christianism did the same for many centuries. But it learnt the hard way that committing a massive crime - like destroying ancient civilisations and carrying out genocides - may be easy, but keeping it hid afterwards to keep the flock from deserting is a heck of a lot of effort (only required in times when the church can't enforce its will). That's why they've practised and perfected the art of suiciding others in recent centuries.
What I mean is this: islam will (still) stab you openly; christianism will wrench your fist open, shove the knife in your hand and then twist your own arm to stab yourself repeatedly. And then they'll gloat (for posterity) about how your religion/culture/civilisation killed itself. And they'll make sure it goes down in the history books that way too.
There was mention of NASA in posts above. Reminded me of this: http://www.tv3.co.nz/VideoBrowseAll/Scienc...94/Default.aspx
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>NASA investigation uncovers drunken astronauts</b>
Fri, 27 Jul 2007 06:17p.m.
(Comments: 1)
The curse of drink-driving has reached new heights, literally.
<b>A NASA investigation has found that astronauts have been allowed to take off despite being so drunk they posed a serious safety risk.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->The 'best of the best' are drunk drivers in space. That's gotta be good for their reputation. More, more.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>SC notice to Centre on Setusamudram project</b>
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a petition opposing the ongoing Setusamudram project, proposed to be implemented by 'destroying' Rama Setu situated south-east of Rameshwaram, connecting Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Dharma Mandala Sri Vrindavana-Dhama is one of the most significant pilgrim center for Hindus. It consists of twelve forests on the banks of the holy river Yamuna. Of these, there are five forests on the eastern bank of the Yamuna: Bhadravana, Bilvavana, Lauhavana, Bhandiravana and Mahavana, while the other seven are on the western bank: Madhuvana, Talavana, Kumudavana, Bahulavana, Kamyavana, Khadiravana and Vrndavana.
Amongst these, Kamyavan forest is considered singularly important by the devotees, related with the famous pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna in His childhood. Kamyavana forest is spread over a periphery of roughly 22km, surrounding the town of Kaman on the Rajasthan - Uttar Pradesh border.
Kama means desires. In Purana-s it is described that it was here that Sri Krishna fulfilled the desires of the demigods and devotees by performing various Lila-s of yore. Sri Varaha Purana states, "In this Kamyavana, Krishna performed enchanting pastimes. Here you will be able to take darshana of many ponds and other transcendental spots." Sri Skanda Purana, Mathura-khanda, describes this teertha in detail, saying: "O king, next is Kamyavana, where Lord Hari stayed in His childhood. Simply by bathing here, any person will attain all his desires. Krisna performed many wonderful pastimes here. Just see all the many kundas. O Srinivasa, see Vishnu-simhasana and Sri Charana-kunda where Krishna washed His feet. How can I describe the glories of these places when even Lord Brahma cannot understand their unlimited glories. See the most powerful Siva vigraha known as Kamesvara and the most beautiful sitting place of Garuda. This is Dharma-kunda where Narayana in the form of Dharma performs indescribably pastimes. Just see here this platform known as Visoka. And see here is Panca-pandava-kunda. Everyone calls this place Mani-karnika, as Visvanatha (Lord Siva) has invested this place with his many various potencies. Look at Vimala-kunda. By taking bath here all one's sins are destroyed. One who leaves his body here goes to Visnuloka."
Here, in this holy forest of Kamyavana, is this beautiful place known as Setubandha Kunda. The tradition holds that once in the childhood, upon requested by darling Gop-Gopikas, Krishna had reenacted the wondrous deed of Setu Bandhan of his previous incarnation: Sri-Rama-avatara.
The tradition holds that once in His boyhood, Krishna with a party of his gopa-gopi friends wandered about this place. The area was filled with water up to a village on the hill, where they wanted to go. Being tired, not wanting to walk the long way around the water, the gopis said to Krishna that it is said that he was none other than Rama himself. Also well known was the saga of Lord Rama having built a stone bridge across the ocean to Lanka. So if that was true, gopi-s said, and he was actually Rama, then he should call the monkeys to build a bridge across that water.
To fulill this desire of Gopi-s, like all others, Krishna performed another leela. He played His flute, it is said, and some monkeys gathered around Him. Krishna requested the monkeys to build a bridge across the water, so the party could walk across it. The monkeys quickly built a bridge across the water.
<img src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_MAAO1bGRfec/RsdT51Wx7TI/AAAAAAAAAHw/fW6a02qNZAE/s200/SetubandhaKundaKamyavan1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
There indeed is a row of stones across a beautiful lake. This place is known as Setu-Bandhana-Kunda. Also at this place, just like at Rameshwaram, is worshipped a sacred Shiva Linga in the Sankara Mahadeva temple. There also is a Ashokavana nearby, representing the Ashoka Vatika of Lanka. There is also a mound here that represents the Trikuta parvat of Lanka.
Also in the village are three other important temples. Aurangzeb was undertaking the campaign of ransacking the Mathura-Vrindavan area to destroy the important temples of the region to crush the spirit of the Hindus. It was then that some Rajput nobilities were trying to help smuggle away the important vigraha of the original deities of Vrindavana to Rajputana, to avoid destruction. Three of these: Radha-Madana-Mohana, Radha-Govinda and Radha-Gopinatha were being taken from Vrindavana to Jaipur, and on the way they were hidden in Kamyavana for a few days. Since these Deities stayed here, three temples have been established dedicated to Radha-Govinda, Radha-Madana-Mohana and Radha-Gopinatha.
How To Get Here?
The town of Kaman in Rajasthan, is 55 km (33 miles) from Vrindavan. Kamyavana is on the western edge of Braja, 10km southwest of Nandagram and 23km from Dig. The best way to reach there is by taxi, which takes about two hours from Vrindavana. The road is very bumpy in the last 10km before the town of Kaman.
The Setu-Bandhana-Kunda can be reached by taking the path that leads away from Gaya Kunda. This path is often flooded by water and it is not always possible to get here by this path. This place can also be reached by taking the parikrama path that goes around Kamyavana.
came in email:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Download in 46 pages, August 2007 (Geological, geo-tectonic perspectives of Rama Setu and channel project by K Gopalakrishnan, S Badrinarayanan, KS Subramanian, Former Directors, Geological Survey of India) http://www.slideshare.net/kalyan97/gopal...monograph/
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Apparently, this particular news item appeared in the Dinamalar, a Tamil daily, on 23 Aug 2007, page 6. For those who can read Tamil, the electronic version of the paper is available at http://epaper.dinamalar.com/
Considering that the particular sea bed is rich in rare and valuable minerals, much needed for nuclear fuel, it is very likely that the GOI has struck a deal with western nations, specificlly the US, to sell out the natural resources from the Setu project.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->There is a sinister angle to the Sethusamudram Project as per the news report appearing in Dinamalar of 23.8.07. I am giving below an English version of the news:
Sethu Samudram Project â Secret Agenda
Looting of Indian Nuclear Resources!
(Refer page 6 of Dinamalar dt 23.8.07 Chennai Edition)
· Kalyana Raman, Chairman of Committee for protection of Ramaâs Bridge has said recently:
· The stretch of sea from Cochin to Rameswaram has rare minerals not available elsewhere in the world!
· Manavala Kurichi, Tuticorin, stretch has got red sand which contains Ilmenite, raw material for Thorium required as Nuclear fuel.
· Aluva in Kerala has got black sand containing monazite.
· Between these two places lot of orange colour sand, which has valuable Thorium is available..
· The canal is being dug in the sea between Manavala Kurichi and Triconamalai.
· The Ilmenite is also available in Triconamalai area.
· The entire project is conceived to export this invaluable sand illegally with the connivance of LTTE.
· The cost of the sand is Rs. One crore per Kg!
· As and when the Canal is dug up US will insist that it is declared as International waters!
· US is planning to take our Uranium raw materials, refine it and sell it back to us.
· ON THE WHOLE THE PROJECT IS TO SELL THE COUNTRYâS RESOURCES ILLEGALLY!
I think a case is pending in the court and experts should join and provide the evidence for the existence of the resources to the court.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
08-23-2007, 07:54 PM (This post was last modified: 08-23-2007, 07:58 PM by Bodhi.)
Largest reserves of Thorium anywhere in the world are found in this location, which is 'internal waters' of India and Sri Lanka - and both contries have signed a treaty to the effect.
Indian scientists have announced some important milestones on developing Thorium-based reactors. Dr. Kalam announced this a few months back. If this technology becomes succesful, India will have no, or very limited, dependance upon US/France/Australia for Uranium. India will still need some Uranium for the process.
After low-hanging Uranium reserves are depleted/become expensive, world will turn to Thorium-based processed fuel. Maybe in next 50 years. Energy balance will fast change then.
So, USA maintained that these waters are NOT domestic or internal to India/SL. Do not site any reason or justification, but keeps sending its Naval Ships to this region once a year, as the operative assertion. See the discovery of one such notification from US Navy earlier in this thread.
Indirectly related to this, Largest Nuclear Vessel in the world - USS Nimitz was docked near Chennai for a month doing 'social service', and is off to do naval exercises in Bay of Bengal since last week.
US has shown active diplomacy in the Indian Ocean region in recent times, including doing port and naval modernization exercises in Sri Lanka; showing diplomatic interests (tacitly) in Malaca-Strait policing etc.
The US-India Nuclear deal, in its present form, has enough bells and whistles to control India's nuclear energy policy.
Cabinet has cleared the coastal-sand mining in Kerala for private sector exporters. An RTI petition recently showed that the exported sand does have thorium in it.
One must see the Rama-Setu-Destruction / Setu Samudram Project from the larger Energy and Geo Politic perspective, especially US's interest in it.
Everything has happened within a span of 6 months - aparently unconnected looking events.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Furore in LS on Rama Setu issue raised by Yogi Adityanath</span>
New Delhi, Aug 23: The Lok Sabha today witnessed uproarious scenes for some time over the Sethusamudram Channel project in Tamil Nadu with the BJP members opposing the move to blow up Ram Setu, located near Dhanushkodi in Rameswaram, as part of the construction of the project.
The issue came up before the Lower House during zero hour when BJP member Yogi Adityanath made a special mention criticising the government for going ahead with the project despite strong opposition from different sections of the people.
"There is a conspiracy to blow up Ram Setu which was built up by Lord Rama," he said, asserting that there were enough evidence to prove this in Ramayana and other Hindu scriptures.
He was supported by his senior party colleague and BJP Deputy Floor leader V K Malhotra, who warned the government against blowing up the "Ram Setu" even when the Sethusamudram issue was pending before the Supreme Court.
"We must protect the Ram Setu...Its blowing up is detrimental to the interests of the nation," Mr Malhotra said, even as the members from the ruling benches stood on their feet shouting at the opposition members.
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee restored order after a few minutes of noisy scenes created by both the treasury and opposition sides.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't damage Ram Sethu: SC to Centre
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Supreme Court on Friday put on hold demolition of Ram Sethu, a mythical bridge off Rameshwaram, connecting the Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka, for carrying out the ongoing Sethusamudram project.
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->However, it allowed the dredging activity for the project to continue to the extent that it did not in anyway cause any destruction to the Ram Sethu.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->However, the bench wanted a specific assurance from the Centre that it would not carry any activity at the site, which would in any way damage the Ram Sethu till the matter was heard next week.
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NEW DELHI: Opposition NDA is shedding crocodile tears over the dredging of Adam's Bridge or Ram Sethu under the Sethusamudram channel project though it was its regime that had cleared it in 2002, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday.
Quoting studies independently carried out by scientists from NASA and India, the government said there was no rationale for linking Adamâs Bridge or Ram Sethu to mythology as it was not a man-made structure.
Dredging it, without harming the Mannar biosphere reserve, to create an economically profitable as well as strategic navigation route between India and Sri Lanka would not hurt religious sentiments, it said in an affidavit responding to Subramainam Swamyâs petition.
It sought vacation of the apex court's interim order restraining dredging of Adam's Bridge and quoted a NASA spokesman to state that the bridge was nothing more than a 30-kilometre-long naturally occurring chain of sand banks.
It also annexed a study using IRS Satellite data by Marine and Water Resources Group, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad,which concluded that "Adam's Bridge is not man-made in nature". It said the government had taken all possible clearances, including an environment-impact assessment, before implementing the project,which first figured in Commander Taylorâs proposal in 1860 contemplating cutting a canal across the Tonitorai Peninsula, near Pamban Pass.
The route under the project,which involves dredging over a width of 300 metres and depth of 12 metres on Adam's Bridge, though inaugurated by Prime Minister on July 2, 2005, was approved as far back as October 2002 during the NDA regime.
"In fact, the project was vetted and endorsed by no less than 4 ministers of the previous NDA government - Arun Jaitley on March 9, 2001, V P Goyal on October 29, 2002, S Thirunavukkarasar on October 25, 2002, and Shatrughan Sinha - hence objections to the project are completely baseless," the Centre said.
It also rejected another contention of the petitioner that Adam's Bridge could qualify as an ancient monument and said there was no scientific basis to this contention. It was only a ruse to stop the project that would generate revenue from fees obtained from traffic passing through the channel. It said Taylor's proposal in 1860 was followed by similar proposals from Townsend (1861), Parliamentary Committee (1862),William Deninson (1863), Stoddart (1871), Robertson (1872), Sir John Code (1884), South Indian Railway Engineers (1903) and Robert Bristow (1922).
The Sethusamudram Project Committee proposal came in 1956. The government cited a environment viability report of National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), which said no dredging would be required in the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere. The Centre said this developmental project involved dredging of just one-hundredth of Adam's Bridge.
<!--QuoteBegin-Capt Manmohan Kumar+Sep 10 2007, 09:55 PM-->QUOTE(Capt Manmohan Kumar @ Sep 10 2007, 09:55 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->The route under the project,which involves dredging over a width of 300 metres and depth of 12 metres on Adam's Bridge, though inaugurated by Prime Minister on July 2, 2005, was approved as far back as October 2002 during the NDA regime.
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur was appointed by Ministry of Surface Transport <b><span style='color:blue'>in July 1997(1)</b></span> to prepare the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) of the Project The IEE study report indicated that the Project is environmentally safe with negligible effect on the eco system and the Marine National Park of the Gulf of Mannar. The report also recommended <b>a particular alignment of the canal cutting the Pamban Island, east of Kothandaramasamy temple, which will cause least damage to the biota and the environment (2)</b>. As per instructions of the Ministry in February, 2002, NEERI was entrusted to conduct the following studies:- (i) Techno-economic viability, and (ii) Environmental Impact Assessment.Â
Tuticorin Port Trust later <span style='color:blue'>engaged M/s. L & T-Ramboll Consulting Engineers, Chennai in 2004 for preparation of a Detailed Project Report(3)</span>, which has clearly established the financial viability of the Project and has also prescribed a stringent Environmental Management Plan for preserving and conserving the rich bio-diversity in the project region.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Until 2004 (which is till NDA regime lasted), the proposed channel was via the land. near the indian shores, by cutting through the Pamban Island. It in only in 2004 that the configuration suddently moved 25 KMs outwards to the mid-sea channel, and cutting through the Rama Setu.
So they keep on uttering pure lies and more lies in front of the court. what do they care!
Meanwhile dispite the court order they continue the dredging. Progress is 24%. They just call it North of Ram Setu Section, rather than Ram Setu to avoid legal technicalities.
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How came none of our people can say right away to these people"There still is no evidence to prove Jesus existed either, but they still do not go around destroying Nazareth"
These are simple things that anyone who wants to pretend to belong to a "religion" (as defined by the white man) should be able to say spontaneously. With a few choice gaalis. But no. We have to think, we have to become indignant---and then come up with a reply in 3.14 days. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
When will the Hindu public learn to think on its feet? Dudes, Chanakya was not some alien. He was related to you. Start thinking smart.
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> Adam's Bridge was NDA decision: Govt