Setu like a cyclotron accumulating thorium, making India a nuclear resource zone
It is now common knowledge that beach sands are being exported and that these sands contain strategic metals: thorium, titanium. Thorium is strategic for the nation’s nuclear programme; titanium is strategic for the nation’s space programme. These strategic metals should NOT be allowed to be exported in any form or formulation and retained as nation’s reserves for nation’s integrity and energy independence. It is also reliably learnt (Hon’ble Pon. Radhakrishnan ji) that thorium from IREL’s stockpiles is also vanishing. Kalyanaraman 24 August 2007
Strategic metals and resources of India Jayaram’s article on thorium placers is also confirmed by US Geological Survey at http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/thorium/thorimcs07.pdf
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium See also: http://kalyan97.wordpress.com/2007/08/25/thorium-strategic-nuclear-fuel-of-india/
Don’t you think that this world’s weath should be safeguarded? Who is in charge for the security of this world’s wealth, nation’s wealth? Kalyanaraman
RSS gives Sethu a nuke twist
‘Sethu’s Like A Cyclotron Accumulating Thorium’
Girish Kuber MUMBAI (Economic Times, Bangalore, Page 3)
RASHTRIYA Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has found more credible reasons to oppose the Centre’s controversial Ram Setu project. The Sangh has pointed out that the project will severely impact the country’s nuclear programme and undersea mineral resources.
Giving a scientific twist to its stance against the demolition of Ram Setu (Adam’s bridge) under the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP), the Sangha has cautioned that rich deposits of Thorium, considered important for energy independence, would be disturbed if the Ram Setu is destroyed.
The Rs 2,300 crore SSCP has been mired in controversy ever since it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July 2005. The decision to destroy the Rama Setu, the ancient bridge between India and Sri Lanka, as the Sangh claims, is against India’s heritage, religious sentiments, environment and the poor farmers of Tamil Nadu.
Former international banker Dr S Kalyanaraman, who is currently spearheading Sangh’s mission to enlighten people on the project, in a detailed presentation to a select group of mediamen harped on country’s energy security vis-a-vis the project. He referred to various studies that have reported precious mineral deposits including that of thorium on a coastline close to Ram Setu. A large deposit of titanium too has been found in the region around the sethu.
Although uranium is the only naturally occurring fissile element directly usable in a nuclear reactor, India has just about 0.8% of the world’s uranium reserves and as such is dependent on import. But it’s been proved beyond doubt that thorium can replace uranium.
Why should we jeopardise these thorium deposits,” he asked. According to official data, India has around 3,00,000 tonnes of thorium reserves — third largest in the world — in the beach sands of Manavalakurichi in Tamil Nadu, Aluva and Chavara in Kerala and Chatrapura in Orissa. “These deposits are waiting to be tapped. The setu acts like a cyclotron accumulating placer deposits. This natural system will be destroyed if the project is implemented,” Dr Kalyanaraman said.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=ETBG/2008/06/02/3/Img/Pg003.png (Page 3, 2 June 2008 ET Bangalore edition)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Setu project: a white elephant, an ecological-social disaster, being falsely foisted as a dream project.
Setu project: a white elephant, an ecological-social disaster, being falsely foisted as a dream project.
Thanks to Capt. Balakrishna and to Sudarshan Rodriguez for their incisive analyses.
Executive Summary: Setu project is a white elephant, an ecological disaster, and is being foisted as a dream project without involving detailed studies using the expertise of Geological Survey of India (GSI) and National Institute of Oceanography (Goa), without consulting the local pollution control, maritime boards, without consulting the neighbouring country under international treaty obligations, ignoring international treaty obligations related to UN Law of the Sea, UNESCO World Heritage and Underwater Cultural Heritage Conventions. Above all, there is a cognizable criminal offence involved by violating Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code which prohibits the hurting of sentiments of a community.
It is shocking that a fundamental question remains unanswered: for whose benefit is this project? How will it benefit the coastal people? Has an alternative of Marine Economic Zones along the long 8000 km. of the nation been evaluated which has the potential to increase marine product export foreign exchange earnings from the present Rs. 8000 crores per annum to Rs. 40000 crores per annum?
Scrap the project. Don't ever dream such project disasters.
The project zone is Rama’s hotspot with mannar volcanic rocks and hotsprings all along the coastline and is close to the most fragile eco-system – the Sunda plate which is subject to almost daily earthquakes and which scientists (Nature magazine 6 Sept. 2007) have noted as a potential disaster zone which will adversely impact 6 crore coastal people from Kolkata to Kerala by a more devastating tsunami than the one which occurred on Dec. 26, 2004 killing 2,60,000 people. How could any rational government have conceived a project and inaugurated it on 2 July 2005 (that is within 6 months of the tsunami) without a detailed evaluation of the impact of the Dec. 2004 tsunami on the bathymetry of the ocean and without providing for tsunami protection measures to save the nation’s coastal property and peoples’ lives? How could anyone approve of a project which 34 Sri Lankan experts claim will impact adversely the drinking water supply to Rameshwaram and Jaffna if the fresh-water bearing limestone caves in Rama Setu are blasted off? Do we have a socially responsible governance or not?
The detailed project report prepared by the consultants for Setusamudram Corporation is an UNRELIABLE, document, based on computational errors, erroneous/biased assumptions and is intended only as a make-believe exercise, a pathetic attempt in economic casuistry. The project economics presented in the DPR is simply bogus. Capt. Balakrishnan conclusively proved that the project is nautical folly.
In addition to social costs which are excluded from the computations of economic viability, the following costs are also either excluded or grossly understated: 1. additional security costs which will devolve on the Indian Navy to acquire, for example, special anit-mine-warfare vessels which can traverse through a shallow channel in narrow straits (which may be of the order of Rs. 3000 crores); 2. costs to the neighbouring country, Sri Lanka, very close (3 kms. proximity) to the channel; 3. maintenance dredging costs in one of the five sedimentation sinks of the world constituting the Gulf of Mannar-Palk Straits; 4. costs of facilities which are an imperative, for salvage operations in case a ship gets grounded in the shallow sands; 5. failure to estimate the number of ships which will be less than 30,000 dwt (dead-weight-tonnes) and which will be phased out during the next 10 years since the trend is to build large-tonnage ships going upto 1 million dwt.; 6. losses which will be suffered by coastal people due to denial of access to about 26% of the ocean zone – the breeding zone for marine products and fish nurseries -- in Gulf of Mannar-Palk Straits by creating a veritable international boundary channel 3 kms. west of the Indi-Sri Lanka medial line (considering that the distance between Dhanushkodi and the Medial Line is only 15 kms.); 7. failure to include provisions/facilities for tsunami-cyclone protection to safeguard the integrity of the nation’s coastline.
SSCP will be a perpetual sick unit. The claim that Setusamudram Corp. Ltd. (SCL) will be financially self-sustaining is thus questionable. No sensible banker will lend money to such an entity. It will be a tax-payer’s burden for the foreseeable future.
First year Loss: Rs. 54 crores
(3055 passages/year X Rs.1.78 lakhs, i.e. Tariff of Rs. 3.89 lakhs minus Rs. 2.11 lakhs fuel and cost savings per passage of a ship);
9th year Loss: Rs. 143 crores
(3055 passages/year X Rs. 4.68 lakhs, i.e. Tariff of Rs. 6.79 lakhs minus Rs. 2.11 lakhs fuel and cost savings per passage of a ship).
There are hidden costs which have not been included; if included, the sickness of SCL will become chronic: a) Capital and maintenance costs for Naval security of the channel; b) Maintenance dredging costs may be as high as Rs. 1000 crores per annum; c) Provisions of tsunami protection walls as in Japan to save lives and property along the coastline; d) social costs such as loss of livelihood for coastal people dependent upon fisheries and marketing of marine products.
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman
Special Investigation June 15, 2008
An expert analysis of Sethu project
The howlers in the expert committee report on SSCP
By Captain (Retd) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
During the course of my analysis of the Report submitted by the ‘Committee of Eminent Persons’, I found that the Report faulted the ‘Detailed Project Report (DPR), prepared by the Consultants to the Project—M/s L&T Thornboll. Yet, Cabinet sanction for the SSCP was accorded on the basis of the DPR!! This left me wondering—‘What sanctity for Cabinet approvals, if the ‘due process of application of mind’ is conspicuous by its absence?
Report of ‘the committee of eminent persons’ finds fault with the DPR
Chapter-8: “Economic Viability And Related Issues”
Para 8.2.3 (pp –96)
“Hence, it may not be fair to pick up a few developments selectively and object to the viability of the Project, which was worked out sometime ago. As regards the comments made on the approach and assumptions adopted in the DPR, the main argument against the DPR rests on the distance that will be saved by ships that are coming from Europe, America, Persian Gulf and Africa (using Suez Canal). While the DPR takes the savings in distance from Cape Comorin, it has been argued that these ships need not come right up to Cape Comorin to go around Sri Lanka. This observation is valid as the ships coming from Europe, America, Africa etc. need not come to Cape Comorin for going around Sri Lanka. To that extent the savings in distance, particularly for non-coastal cargo, will be less.”
Para 8.2.6 (pp – 97)
“It is clear from this Table that there is hardly any saving for a ship coming via Port Louis (Mauritius) to the east coast ports. Hence, the point made that the ships coming from Mauritius using Cape of Good Hope route will not use the Channel is valid. However, the consultants have also not identified the ships coming via Mauritius in any of the five origin – destination pairs identified for the SSC (Table 6.10 of the DPR). It is seen that the difference in distance saved by the ships coming from Suez Canal to the east coast ports as obtained from the Chief Hydrographer and the one given by the Consultants in DPR is only 19 NM. The Consultants in DPR have taken the Channel length as 152 km for calculation of savings in fuel and savings in time charters whereas, the actual Channel length in DPR is 167.22 km. These differences, in Channel length and savings in distance, will have some impact on the savings of the ships.”
Para 8.2.7 (pp – 98)
The second argument is that the Consultants have taken the average distance saved instead of calculating the savings in distance for each ship journey. It is seen from the distances in the DPR that the distance saved varies from 254 NM to 424 NM. With this variation in distance, taking a simple average of 335.5 NM may not reveal the correct picture. It is seen as per the traffic statement for SSC in DPR (Table 6-11 page 158 of DPR), there is no coastal movement between Chennai and Tuiticorin, where the distance saved is maximum. However, the possibility of cargo movement between these ports exists, when the coastal shipping picks up. Most of the revenue is coming from non-coastal cargo. The average distance saved from Aden to different ports on east coast, excluding Tuiticorin, as per the distances obtained from Chief Hydrographer is 271 NM. The Consultants may have taken average distance so as to determine uniform Channel Charges for all routes; nevertheless, it would have been better if the Consultants had calculated the distance saved for each pair for estimating savings of ships and then recommend a tariff rate. The approach followed by the Consultants to propose tariff @ 75 per cent of savings in one of the alternatives, may result in a scenario where the Channel charges may be higher than the savings. As the tariff @ 50 per cent of savings has been proposed, in the base case IRR, such a situation has been avoided. However, the savings to some ships will be more than 50 per cent while for some it will be lower.”
Para 8.2.8 (pp – 98)
“It is, however, worthwhile to mention that the average distance taken (142 NM) in the Report captioned “Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP)” is the average of ships taking the Suez route as well as the Mauritius route. This is also not relevant because the DPR does not envisage the ships moving via Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius as potential traffic for SSC. However, the Consultants have not explained how the ships coming from Africa other than Suez route, have not been taken into account while identifying SSC cargo from Africa. Similarly, the Consultants have not clarified how crude oil vessels and inter-port movements within east coast ports, have been excluded.”
Para 8.2.13 (pp – 100)
“ As regards speed of vessels, the Consultants have assumed that the ships will move at an average speed of 12 NM in open sea and 8 NM in the restricted channel. There are some apprehensions about the speed at which ships can move in a regulated channel. - - - - - -. Based on the impression gathered by the Members from the mariners, it is felt that an average speed of 6 to 8 NM in the proposed Channel is not an unreasonable assumption.”
Para 8.2.14 (pp – 100)
“The proposed Channel is a double lane Channel. The Consultants have recommended a double lane Channel as reducing it to a single lane would have enhanced the waiting period. This could have also been backed by a financial analysis.”
Para 8.2.15 (pp –100)
“The Consultants have estimated revenues escalating @ five per cent per annum. The revenues come mainly from the Channel charges. The charges are linked to savings in fuel cost and savings in charter costs. Hence, the increase in revenue is related to the increase in charter and bunker prices. The basis for estimating the escalation of five per cent per annum in revenue and costs has not been spelt out. The Consultants have also made no mention of the social cost.”
Para 8.2.16 (pp-100)
“The Consultants have taken 2001-02 as base for port-wise and commodity-wise forecast for next 20 years. The Consultants have taken average parcel load of previous three years from 1999-00 to 2001-02 as the basis to estimate the number of potential ships for the Channel in the next 20 years. Again, the Consultants have taken the DWT wise break up of vessels calling at east coast ports (excluding Tuiticorin) in 2001-02 as the basis to estimate the size-wise number of ships likely to use the Channel. The Committee feels that the Consultants should have taken into account the trend or other developments that may change the inter-se share in future.”
Chapter 6: Environment And Related Issues
“Issue 5: Impact of Cyclones on the Project and also on sedimentation dynamics”
Para 6.4.13 (pp – 77)
(A Howler!!!)
“It appears that all the ports on the coast will be vulnerable and not only the SSCP. Necessary safeguards to deal with cyclone condition have been incorporated in the Project design.”
(Comment: As young mariners, we are taught in the Navigation School, about the dangers posed by the ‘Tropical Revolving Storms’ (Cyclones) and the precautions and actions to be taken at sea to ‘avoid’ these ‘Cyclones’. These are highlighted in the Admiralty publication “The Mariner’s Handbook”. But, this is the FIRST TIME, I’m learning about ‘necessary precautions’ taken to safeguard a ‘static entity’ called the SSCP’!! Should be in the reckoning for the Nobel Prize in ‘SCIENCE’!!)
“Issue 7: Impact of sulphur in the fuel on environment”
Para 6.4.20 (pp – 79)
“The emission of SO2 due to burning of fuel in ship is considered as a line source. The ships have been recommended to use low sulphur fuel. The emissions envisaged will be low and impact of these emissions on the Marine National Park which is 20 km away from the Channel, considering the dispersion and dilution potential available due to sea wind, is not envisaged”.
(Comment: The use of Low Sulphur High Speed Diesel (LSHSD) by ships will affect the fuel savings costs as LSHSD is nearly 1.5 times costlier than HSD. The difference in rates between HSD and LSHSD can be clearly seen on the website www.bunkerworld.com)
(The writer can be contacted at “Athreya”A1/8-flat-5 22nd Cross Street Besantnagar, Chennai-600 090)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=241&page=13
http://setubandha.blogspot.com/2008/05/analysing-economic-viability-of-sscp.html
Analysing the economic viability of the SSCP from a shipping perspective on the basis of official reports – Part 7 by Capt. (Retd.) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
Introduction
1. Over the past year (2007), much has been written and stated, in the media, about the viability or otherwise, of the SSCP. The statements have also highlighted the economic benefits that would accrue to the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu on account of the SSCP.
2. This paper analyses the economic viability of the SSCP, from a shipping perspective, on the basis of information contained in various 'official documents' and reports such as:
(a) The website of the Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. (SCL)
(b) The 'Report' submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' to the Govt. of India. This 'Report had formed the basis of the revised affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, by the Govt. of India.
(c) The 'Information Memorandum of Sept. 2005' prepared by the then UTI Bank (now Axis Bank), the lead Bank for arranging the financial loan for the execution of the Project.
Economic viability of the SSCP
SCL Website
3. The website, in addition to highlighting various USPs of the project, states: "Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, which envisages digging a ship channel across the Palk Straits between India and Sri Lanka, is finally taking shape. The project will allow ships sailing between the East and West Coasts of India to have a straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of having to circumvent Sri Lanka. This will lead to a saving of upto 424 nautical miles (780 kms) and upto 30 hours in sailing time." It further states: "The project will become self-sustaining over a period of time. According to conservative estimates, about 3055 vessels will be using the canal annually. This will inevitably go up further."
4. The foregoing statement in the website implies that the SSCP is envisaged as a profitable undertaking which would lead to its self-sustenance in the years ahead.
Information Memorandum of the UTI Bank (now Axis Bank)
5. From this document, the annual expenditure for the SCL can be calculated. The main items forming this expenditure are summarized below.
6. Operation and Maintenance Costs (O&M Costs). From item 10.2 of the 'Information Memorandum', the budgeted figures for the O&M costs are as follows:
(a)Maintenance Costs
(Rs. in millions)
-- Maintenance of Vessel traffic Management Scheme (VTMS) 50
-- Maintenance dredging 200
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year Maintenance Dredging has been
pegged at Rs. 170 million and from the 5th year onwards it
stabilizes at Rs. 140 million)
-- Civil Maintenance 10
-- Tugs and launches 100
-- Plant and Machinery 10
(b) Operation costs
-- Administration and staff costs 50
--VTMS 8.5
--Tugs and Launches 68
-- Plant and Machinery 20
(d) Contingency and Project Management costs
-- Contingencies 25.8
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year, this has been pegged at
Rs. 24.3 million. From the 5th year onwards, it stabilizes at
Rs. 22.8 million).
7. Details of the financial loan. From Item 14 of the Information Memorandum, entitled 'Indicative Term Sheet,' the following are the details of the financial loan:--
(a) Rupee loan
-- Amount Rs. 4369 million
-- Interest rate 8%
-- Loan period 13 years
-- Moratorium period 5 years
-- Principal repayment 16 'equal installments' from the end of 5 years
(b) US Dollar loan
-- Amount USD 100 milion
-- Interest rate Libor + 125 to 175 basis points = 5%
-- Loan period 20 years
-- Moratorium period 8 years
-- Principal repayment 24 'equal installments' from the end of 8 years
(c) Zero coupon bonds
-- Amount Rs. 5826 million
-- Interest rate NIL
-- Loan period 30 years
-- Moratorium period 18 years
- Principal repayment 12 'annual instalments' beginning from the end of 18 years
8. Profitability. A profit margin of 9% has been assumed for the project to build reserves.
9. Thus, the 'Income to be generated' by the SCL to become a self-sustaining undertaking, on an annual basis, is tabulated at Appendix A. The Zero Coupon Bonds have not been taken into account for the purposes of this analysis.
10. Ship tariff. As the SCL website anticipates an annual shipping traffic of 3055 ships to pass through the SSCP, the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships has been calculated and tabulated at Appendix A.
Time and fuel cost savings
11. The Report submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' (Chapter 8, para 8.2.5), gives the voyage distances between the ports of 'Origin' and 'Destination'. The voyage speeds in the 'open sea' as also through the 'SSCP' have been given in this Report (Chapter 8, para 8.2.13).
12. On the basis of the foregoing, the following have been tabulated: (a) Fuel cost savings—Appendix B; (b) Time savings –-Appendix C
Analysis of the Appendices
13. The Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons', in Chapter 8, Para 8.2.7 states: "The approach followed by the consultants to propose tariff @ 75% of savings in one of the alternatives, may result in a scenario where the channel charges may be higher than the savings. As the tariff rate @50% of savings has been proposed, in the base case I.R.R., such a situation has been avoided. However, the savings to some ships will be more than 50%, while for some, it will be lower."
14. In the light of the foregoing, comparison of the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships as calculated at Appendix A, and 50% the Fuel Cost Savings at Appendix B (column 'q'), will clearly reveal that the SCL will NOT be able to recover its expenditure burden in the FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION ITSELF.
15. On the other hand, if the SCL decides on a higher tariff regime, as in the case of the major ports of India (e.g. Chennai Port Rs. 1.11 lakh/km for 7 kms of 'pilotage'), then the fuel cost savings achieved by navigating through the SSCP, will be nullified for the shipping companies.
16. The 'Time Savings' tabulation at Appendix C debunks the claim of the SCL website of 'Savings upto 30 hours in sailing time'. The same is the case in 'Savings in Voyage distances' also.
17. Cost escalation. A report in the economics daily 'MINT' of 25 Sept. 2007, entitled 'Money runs dry for Sethusamudram', stated the cost of the project has 'Skyrocketed to at least 4000 crores, interest rates have crawled higher and old loan terms have lapsed.' In a word, higher tariff regime for ships other than indicated at Appendix A.
Conclusion
18. In my earlier 6 Part analysis of the SSCP, I had concluded that the 'SSCP just does not make any nautical sense.'
19. The present analysis, on the basis of official reports, has only served to reinforce the earlier conclusion.
20. The SSCP is a nautical folly.
Appendices:
(A) Income Generatin and Possible ship Tariff
(B) Fuel Cost Savings
(C) Time Savings
References:
(1) Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. Website URL: www.sethusamudram.gov.in
(2) Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons'
(3) Informatin Memorandum of the UTI Bank (Axis Bank) URL: http://sethusamudram.gov.in/Images/InfoMemo.doc
Appendix A SSCP – Income Generation and Ship Tariff
(Rs. in Lakhs); US $ = Rs. 39.79
Year/item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Rupee loan interest 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2
Rupee loan principal 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25
US $ loan interest 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5
US $ loan
principal 3315.83
O&M 5423.0 5423.0 5108.0 5108.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0
9% profit 981.69 981.69 953.34 953.34 924.99 1416.5 1416.5 1416.5 1714.93
TOTAL 11889.39 11889.39 11546.04 11546.04 11202.69 17155.40 17155.40 17155.40 20769.71
TARIFF
(Total / 3055) 3.89 3.89 3.78 3.78 3.66 5.61 5.61 5.61 6.79
Appendix B SSCP Voyages: Fuel Costs and Savings
(Open sea speed = 12 knots; SSCP speed = 6 knots)
Voyage From Voyage To Voyage Fuel Cost (Around Srilanka) Voyage Vuel Cost (Via SSCP) Savings Rs.
Aden Chennai 64,26,744.3 60,04,222.8 4.22,521.5
Aden Vizag 70,53,937.8 67,63,501.8 2,90,436.0
Aden Kolkata 78,47,019.3 76,63,104.0 1,83,915.3
Kochi Chennai 22,36,933.0 18,04,469.6
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If SSP Corporationis chronically sick,it may not matter much to Baalu. The Government will not become bankrupt overnight! Much less, the longevity of Baaly in politis is limited, He is simply making hay while sun shines! For the opportunists and self seekers like Baa;u. the arguments of Dr. Kalyanaram, though most sensible, may not mean much to Baalu
M.Srinivaan
--- On Sat, 3/5/08, kalyan97 wrote:
From: kalyan97
Subject: [Branded Indian] Analysing the economic viability of the SSCP -- Capt. (Retd) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
To:
Date: Saturday, 3 May, 2008, 5:11 PM
http://setubandha. blogspot. com/2008/ 05/analysing- economic- viability- of-sscp.html
Analysing the economic viability of the SSCP from a shipping perspective on the basis of official reports – Part 7 by Capt. (Retd.) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
Introduction
1. Over the past year (2007), much has been written and stated, in the media, about the viability or otherwise, of the SSCP. The statements have also highlighted the economic benefits that would accrue to the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu on account of the SSCP.
2. This paper analyses the economic viability of the SSCP, from a shipping perspective, on the basis of information contained in various 'official documents' and reports such as:
(a) The website of the Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. (SCL)
(b) The 'Report' submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' to the Govt. of India. This 'Report had formed the basis of the revised affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, by the Govt. of India.
(c) The 'Information Memorandum of Sept. 2005' prepared by the then UTI Bank (now Axis Bank), the lead Bank for arranging the financial loan for the execution of the Project.
Economic viability of the SSCP
SCL Website
3. The website, in addition to highlighting various USPs of the project, states: "Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, which envisages digging a ship channel across the Palk Straits between India and Sri Lanka, is finally taking shape. The project will allow ships sailing between the East and West Coasts of India to have a straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of having to circumvent Sri Lanka. This will lead to a saving of upto 424 nautical miles (780 kms) and upto 30 hours in sailing time." It further states: "The project will become self-sustaining over a period of time. According to conservative estimates, about 3055 vessels will be using the canal annually.. This will inevitably go up further."
4. The foregoing statement in the website implies that the SSCP is envisaged as a profitable undertaking which would lead to its self-sustenance in the years ahead.
Information Memorandum of the UTI Bank (now Axis Bank)
5. From this document, the annual expenditure for the SCL can be calculated. The main items forming this expenditure are summarized below.
6. Operation and Maintenance Costs (O&M Costs). From item 10.2 of the 'Information Memorandum', the budgeted figures for the O&M costs are as follows:
(a)Maintenance Costs
(Rs. in millions)
-- Maintenance of Vessel traffic Management Scheme (VTMS) 50
-- Maintenance dredging 200
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year Maintenance Dredging has been
pegged at Rs. 170 million and from the 5th year onwards it
stabilizes at Rs. 140 million)
-- Civil Maintenance 10
-- Tugs and launches 100
-- Plant and Machinery 10
(b) Operation costs
-- Administration and staff costs 50
--VTMS 8.5
--Tugs and Launches 68
-- Plant and Machinery 20
(d) Contingency and Project Management costs
-- Contingencies 25.8
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year, this has been pegged at
Rs. 24.3 million. From the 5th year onwards, it stabilizes at
Rs. 22.8 million).
7. Details of the financial loan. From Item 14 of the Information Memorandum, entitled 'Indicative Term Sheet,' the following are the details of the financial loan:--
(a) Rupee loan
-- Amount Rs. 4369 million
-- Interest rate 8%
-- Loan period 13 years
-- Moratorium period 5 years
-- Principal repayment 16 'equal installments' from the end of 5 years
(b) US Dollar loan
-- Amount USD 100 milion
-- Interest rate Libor + 125 to 175 basis points = 5%
-- Loan period 20 years
-- Moratorium period 8 years
-- Principal repayment 24 'equal installments' from the end of 8 years
(c) Zero coupon bonds
-- Amount Rs. 5826 million
-- Interest rate NIL
-- Loan period 30 years
-- Moratorium period 18 years
- Principal repayment 12 'annual instalments' beginning from the end of 18 years
8. Profitability.. A profit margin of 9% has been assumed for the project to build reserves.
9. Thus, the 'Income to be generated' by the SCL to become a self-sustaining undertaking, on an annual basis, is tabulated at Appendix A. The Zero Coupon Bonds have not been taken into account for the purposes of this analysis.
10. Ship tariff. As the SCL website anticipates an annual shipping traffic of 3055 ships to pass through the SSCP, the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships has been calculated and tabulated at Appendix A.
Time and fuel cost savings
11. The Report submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' (Chapter 8, para 8.2.5), gives the voyage distances between the ports of 'Origin' and 'Destination' . The voyage speeds in the 'open sea' as also through the 'SSCP' have been given in this Report (Chapter 8, para 8.2.13).
12. On the basis of the foregoing, the following have been tabulated: (a) Fuel cost savings—Appendix B; (b) Time savings –-Appendix C
Analysis of the Appendices
13. The Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons', in Chapter 8, Para 8.2.7 states: "The approach followed by the consultants to propose tariff @ 75% of savings in one of the alternatives, may result in a scenario where the channel charges may be higher than the savings. As the tariff rate @50% of savings has been proposed, in the base case I.R.R., such a situation has been avoided. However, the savings to some ships will be more than 50%, while for some, it will be lower."
14. In the light of the foregoing, comparison of the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships as calculated at Appendix A, and 50% the Fuel Cost Savings at Appendix B (column 'q'), will clearly reveal that the SCL will NOT be able to recover its expenditure burden in the FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION ITSELF.
15. On the other hand, if the SCL decides on a higher tariff regime, as in the case of the major ports of India (e.g. Chennai Port Rs. 1.11 lakh/km for 7 kms of 'pilotage'), then the fuel cost savings achieved by navigating through the SSCP, will be nullified for the shipping companies.
16. The 'Time Savings' tabulation at Appendix C debunks the claim of the SCL website of 'Savings upto 30 hours in sailing time'. The same is the case in 'Savings in Voyage distances' also.
17. Cost escalation. A report in the economics daily 'MINT' of 25 Sept. 2007, entitled 'Money runs dry for Sethusamudram' , stated the cost of the project has 'Skyrocketed to at least 4000 crores, interest rates have crawled higher and old loan terms have lapsed.' In a word, higher tariff regime for ships other than indicated at Appendix A.
Conclusion
18. In my earlier 6 Part analysis of the SSCP, I had concluded that the 'SSCP just does not make any nautical sense.'
19. The present analysis, on the basis of official reports, has only served to reinforce the earlier conclusion.
20. The SSCP is a nautical folly.
Appendices:
(A) Income Generatin and Possible ship Tariff
(B) Fuel Cost Savings
(C) Time Savings
References:
(1) Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. Website URL: www.sethusamudram. gov.in
(2) Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons'
(3) Informatin Memorandum of the UTI Bank (Axis Bank) URL: http://sethusamudra m.gov.in/ Images/InfoMemo. doc
- Show quoted text -
Appendix A SSCP – Income Generation and Ship Tariff
(Rs. in Lakhs); US $ = Rs. 39.79
Year/item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Rupee loan interest 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2
Rupee loan principal 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25
US $ loan interest 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5
US $ loan
principal 3315.83
O&M 5423.0 5423.0 5108.0 5108.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0
9% profit 981.69 981.69 953.34 953.34 924.99 1416.5 1416.5 1416.5 1714.93
TOTAL 11889.39 11889.39 11546.04 11546.04 11202.69 17155.40 17155.40 17155.40 20769.71
TARIFF
(Total / 3055) 3.89 3.89 3.78 3.78 3.66 5.61 5.61 5.61 6.79
Appendix B SSCP Voyages: Fuel Costs and Savings
(Open sea speed = 12 knots; SSCP speed = 6 knots)
- Show quoted text -
Voyage From Voyage To Voyage Fuel Cost (Around Srilanka) Voyage Vuel Cost (Via SSCP) Savings Rs.
Aden Chennai 64,26,744.3 60,04,222.8 4.22,521.5
Aden Vizag 70,53,937.8 67,63,501.8 2,90,436.0
Aden Kolkata 78,47,019.3 76,63,104.0 1,83,915.3
- Show quoted text -
Kochi Chennai 22,36,933.0 18,04,469.6 4,32,403.4
Kochi Paradeep 33,25,715.9 31,29,586.2 1,96,129.7
Kochi Kolkata 36,57,208.1 34,59,090.0 1,98,118.1
Tuticorin Vizag 24,71,278.5 19,56,439.0 5,14,839.5
Tuticorin Kolkata 32,66,634.8 28,56,893.0 4,09,741.4
Notes
(A) The distance and speeds used for the calculations have been obtained from the 'Report' submitted by 'The Committee of Eminent Persons'
(B) The Indian Oil Corporation tariffs effective from 1 March 2008 for various marine fuels per metric tonne (Mt) are as follows:
(i) High Speed Diesel (HSD) for use in the SSCP = Rs. 27,384 + 23.43% VAT = Rs. 33,800/Mt
(ii) Heavy Oil (H.O.) for use in the Open Sea = Rs. 27,313 + 4% VAT = Rs. 28,405.5/Mt
(C) The average fuel consumption has been taken as 1 Mt per hour
(D) These calculations do NOT take into account the 'Pilotage Rates' that are going to be levied for using the SSCP
(E) Based on current Pilotage Rates being levied at Major Ports in India, it is probable that circumnavigating Sri Lanka would be more cost-effective.
Appendix C SSCP Time Savings for voyages
(Open sea speed = 12 knots; SSCP speed = 6 knots)
Voyage From Voyage To Voyage distance around Sri Lanka (km) Voyage distance via SSCP (km) Voyage Time around Sri Lanka Voyage Time via SSCP Savings in Time (Hours)
Aden Chennai 2715 2380 226.25 206.96 19.2
Aden Vizag 2980 2700 248.33 233.63 14.7
Aden Kolkata 3315 3080 276.25 265.3 10.9
Kochi Chennai 945 605 78.75 59 19.7
Kochi Paradeep 1405 1165 117.08 105.71 11.37
Kochi Kolkata 1545 1305 128.75 117.3 11.45
Tuticorin Vizag 1045 670 87 64.4 22.6
Tuticorin Kolkata 1380 1050
June 15, 2008
Sethu project
A mockery of science, conservation and environmental laws
By Sudarshan Rodriguez
It is beyond doubt that the Sethusamudram project will have disastrous consequences for the region’s biodiversity.
UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS: Dredging activity will result in the killing of species protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The religio-political controversy and public debate surrounding the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) have overshadowed the original arguments raised against this project, namely its environmental, economic and social impacts.
Ecological significance
Part of the project area, specifically Adam’s Bridge, falls within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GOMBR). It is India’s largest biosphere reserve and has an area of 10,500 sq km, covering the “Indian part of Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka.” It is one of India’s major coral reef ecosystems with 3,600 species of flora and fauna, of which 377 are endemic. It is famous for its chanks (conches and other shells) which make Rameswaram one of the world’s largest shell trade and craft centres. The 21 islands that constitute the core zone of the GOMBR form the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, which is India’s second marine national park. UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve concept is based on the idea of oneness of humanity transcending national frontiers and recognises the need for conservation of vanishing species and habitats. The canal at Adam’s Bridge is a mere 20 km from Shingle Island, one of these 21 islands. With the completion of the SSCP, ships will be navigating through the biosphere reserve and close to the park.
The other part where most of the capital dredging is planned in the Palk Bay, which is also ecologically sensitive and has extensive sea grass meadows. Sea grasses serve as nurseries for fish stocks, and are essential grazing areas for turtles and dugongs (also known as the sea cow: a highly endangered species on the verge of extinction).
Rohan Arthur, an ecologist and a leading expert on sea grasses and corals with the Nature Conservation Foundation, is of the view that “the importance of the sea grass meadows of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar cannot be overstated, as they are a conservation hotspot of regional and global relevance.” (from Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project by Sudarshan Rodriguez, Jacob John, Rohan Arthur, Kartik Shanker and Aarthi Sridhar.)
Impact of dredging
The Palk Bay, known for its unusually high sedimentation rate, is one of the five permanent sediment sinks of India, that is, sediments are constantly being deposited in the Palk Bay and Palk Strait. The sediment sink and transport mechanism in the region are yet to be fully understood. Strangely, all the project documents summarily ignore important knowledge of sedimentation, and the bibliography stops at 1989 while some of the key papers were published in the late 1990s and since 2000. Dredging Adam’s Bridge along a 300-metre wide stretch to make the canal passage will have drastic consequences for marine ecosystems in the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar.
It will be akin to opening the floodgates of a dam and will allow sediments from the Palk Bay to flow freely into the Gulf of Mannar, thus affecting the corals and fisheries in the Marine National Park and the whole biosphere reserve. Both sea grasses and corals are sensitive to increases in sediment levels. “The changed sediment conditions have a range of effects on corals and sea grasses, affecting their basic physiology, reproduction, recruitment, population and community structure,” says Rohan Arthur in Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (cited above).
Loss of wildlife
The project directly results in loss of wildlife, specifically protected species. This is evident from its own documents (Section 1.3 and 3.2 of the Environmental Impact Assessment prepared by NEERI) which acknowledges the presence of corals, sea fans, sponges, pearl oysters, chanks and sea cucumbers along the canal. The EIA (Section 6.4.1.2 and 6.6) report states: “Due to dredging, the bottom flora and fauna on an area of about 6 sq km along the channel alignment in Adam’s Bridge and about 16-17 sq km in Palk Bay/Palk Strait area will be lost permanently.” Thus, the dredging activity for the canal will result in the killing of corals, sea fans, sponges, and sea cucumbers, all of which are protected species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
In fact, corals are Schedule I species, which means the government accords it the same protected status as a tiger. It is shocking that this aspect is being overlooked. According to the proponents of the project, it is an acceptable price to pay.
Environmental laws
The EIA did not have a dredging management programme. This is also pointed out in the L&T-Ramboll Detail Project Report (DPR) of the SSCP, which recommends that this be done (L&T-Ramboll DPR, Section 12.9.2 on page 12-11, bullet point 2). The EIA of the project also did not have a Disaster Management Plan (DMP), a mandatory legal requirement. (Under Form A, Item 11 of the EIA notification, 1994 and the Ministry of Environment and Forest’s EIA Manual).
Till date there is no DMP for the project and the project authorities have stated on various occasions that the Tuticorin Port Trust’s (TPT) DMP would be applicable for the project. The TPT’s DMP was developed only for the functioning of the Tuticorin port, where ships navigated in the southern Gulf of Mannar (around Kanyakumari) to Tuticorin and not further through the Adam’s Bridge and the Palk Bay.
Many experts have pointed out severe shortcomings in the project’s documents and design in terms of data gaps with respect to basic parameters such as sub-surface geology, bathymetry, and sedimentation process in the project area. These have resulted in the poor design of the project and inadequate assessment of risks, hazards and environmental impacts. It is beyond doubt that it will have disastrous consequences for the region’s biodiversity, causing major and permanent losses to fisheries and livelihoods.
The government needs to answer some uncomfortable questions on why it ignored its own conservation and environment laws. The relegation of the above-mentioned environmental arguments against the SSCP, and the lack of scientific rigour in the design and EIA of the project, represent a mockery of science, conservation and environmental laws.
(The writer is a Senior Research Associate at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). He can be contacted at sudarshanr@yahoo.com)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=241&page=14
History, ecology are at stake
From The Pioneer Edit Desk on June 12th
When the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan statues, the world reacted with shocked horror at this act of barbarism. What the UPA Government in India proposes to do to Ram Setu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, is no less horrifying. As may be recalled, the Setusamudram Ship Channel Project aims to create a navigable sea route, between the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, by slicing the Ram Setu in order to reduce the sailing distance between India’s coasts. Consequently, the Ram Setu, of known spiritual significance to Hindus, will be destroyed through extensive dredging. In fact, there are sound reasons for rejecting the project, as conceived at present, other than the important one of protecting the site for its cultural and religious worth. Among them, what are weighty are the objections that pertain to its wide-ranging environmental impact. For instance, experts have claimed shifts in the flows of currents would adversely affect sensitive ecosystems, as would the increasing possibility of damaging oil spills. It is estimated that fragile marine life, such as delicate corals, would be destroyed through the various processes unleashed. Life on the mainland would not remain unaffected as changes in seawater flows and temperature would impact climate and affect rainfall in coastal areas even as erosion could increase. Most importantly, experts inform us, the Ram Setu forms a barrier that blocks tsunamis, in the absence of which the entire coasts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu could be endangered. Were this not reason enough, Thorium deposits in Kerala and Tamil Nadu may be affected, upsetting India’s indigenous nuclear programme. It is significant that the Sir Mudaliar Committee Report of 1956 had recommended the abandonment of the idea of such a project, finding the channel alignment unsuitable.
The argument about the spiritual significance of the site is no less compelling. It is neither here nor there to argue that there is little scientific evidence to prove that Adam’s Bridge is manmade. For, within each spiritual tradition are matters purely of belief for which no rational explanations or scientific proofs are available. Thus Christians believe in the immaculate conception, the Jews that the Red Sea parted for Moses, and Muslims that Islam was revealed to the Prophet through the divine agency of Angel Gabriel. The Hindu belief that Hanuman’s vanar sena built a bridge to Lanka that allowed Ram to cross over, fell Ravana and rescue Sita is in a similar vein and should hardly be scoffed at. The historicity of the event has little relevance to the debate, though it is possible that, as Indians were prone to oral narratives rather than written records, facts are likely to be the basis of the Ramayan. As the sentiments of hundreds of millions of people are involved, these cannot be trumped by the views of an individual Minister in a democracy. Nothing explains the unholy hurry in going ahead with the project except the need to pander to the crassest financial interests.
Editor’s addendum: S Badrinarayanan, former director of Geological Survey of India and a member of the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) says the Adam’s Bridge was not a natural formation. “Such a natural formation is impossible. Unless somebody has transported them and dumped them there, those reefs could not have come there. Some boulders were so light that they could float on water. Apparently, whoever has done it, has identified light (but strong) boulders to make it easy for transportation. Since they are strong, they can withstand a lot of weight. It should be preserved as a national monument,” he opined.
http://www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/2007/07/save-ram-setu/
Thanks to Capt. Balakrishna and to Sudarshan Rodriguez for their incisive analyses.
Executive Summary: Setu project is a white elephant, an ecological disaster, and is being foisted as a dream project without involving detailed studies using the expertise of Geological Survey of India (GSI) and National Institute of Oceanography (Goa), without consulting the local pollution control, maritime boards, without consulting the neighbouring country under international treaty obligations, ignoring international treaty obligations related to UN Law of the Sea, UNESCO World Heritage and Underwater Cultural Heritage Conventions. Above all, there is a cognizable criminal offence involved by violating Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code which prohibits the hurting of sentiments of a community.
It is shocking that a fundamental question remains unanswered: for whose benefit is this project? How will it benefit the coastal people? Has an alternative of Marine Economic Zones along the long 8000 km. of the nation been evaluated which has the potential to increase marine product export foreign exchange earnings from the present Rs. 8000 crores per annum to Rs. 40000 crores per annum?
Scrap the project. Don't ever dream such project disasters.
The project zone is Rama’s hotspot with mannar volcanic rocks and hotsprings all along the coastline and is close to the most fragile eco-system – the Sunda plate which is subject to almost daily earthquakes and which scientists (Nature magazine 6 Sept. 2007) have noted as a potential disaster zone which will adversely impact 6 crore coastal people from Kolkata to Kerala by a more devastating tsunami than the one which occurred on Dec. 26, 2004 killing 2,60,000 people. How could any rational government have conceived a project and inaugurated it on 2 July 2005 (that is within 6 months of the tsunami) without a detailed evaluation of the impact of the Dec. 2004 tsunami on the bathymetry of the ocean and without providing for tsunami protection measures to save the nation’s coastal property and peoples’ lives? How could anyone approve of a project which 34 Sri Lankan experts claim will impact adversely the drinking water supply to Rameshwaram and Jaffna if the fresh-water bearing limestone caves in Rama Setu are blasted off? Do we have a socially responsible governance or not?
The detailed project report prepared by the consultants for Setusamudram Corporation is an UNRELIABLE, document, based on computational errors, erroneous/biased assumptions and is intended only as a make-believe exercise, a pathetic attempt in economic casuistry. The project economics presented in the DPR is simply bogus. Capt. Balakrishnan conclusively proved that the project is nautical folly.
In addition to social costs which are excluded from the computations of economic viability, the following costs are also either excluded or grossly understated: 1. additional security costs which will devolve on the Indian Navy to acquire, for example, special anit-mine-warfare vessels which can traverse through a shallow channel in narrow straits (which may be of the order of Rs. 3000 crores); 2. costs to the neighbouring country, Sri Lanka, very close (3 kms. proximity) to the channel; 3. maintenance dredging costs in one of the five sedimentation sinks of the world constituting the Gulf of Mannar-Palk Straits; 4. costs of facilities which are an imperative, for salvage operations in case a ship gets grounded in the shallow sands; 5. failure to estimate the number of ships which will be less than 30,000 dwt (dead-weight-tonnes) and which will be phased out during the next 10 years since the trend is to build large-tonnage ships going upto 1 million dwt.; 6. losses which will be suffered by coastal people due to denial of access to about 26% of the ocean zone – the breeding zone for marine products and fish nurseries -- in Gulf of Mannar-Palk Straits by creating a veritable international boundary channel 3 kms. west of the Indi-Sri Lanka medial line (considering that the distance between Dhanushkodi and the Medial Line is only 15 kms.); 7. failure to include provisions/facilities for tsunami-cyclone protection to safeguard the integrity of the nation’s coastline.
SSCP will be a perpetual sick unit. The claim that Setusamudram Corp. Ltd. (SCL) will be financially self-sustaining is thus questionable. No sensible banker will lend money to such an entity. It will be a tax-payer’s burden for the foreseeable future.
First year Loss: Rs. 54 crores
(3055 passages/year X Rs.1.78 lakhs, i.e. Tariff of Rs. 3.89 lakhs minus Rs. 2.11 lakhs fuel and cost savings per passage of a ship);
9th year Loss: Rs. 143 crores
(3055 passages/year X Rs. 4.68 lakhs, i.e. Tariff of Rs. 6.79 lakhs minus Rs. 2.11 lakhs fuel and cost savings per passage of a ship).
There are hidden costs which have not been included; if included, the sickness of SCL will become chronic: a) Capital and maintenance costs for Naval security of the channel; b) Maintenance dredging costs may be as high as Rs. 1000 crores per annum; c) Provisions of tsunami protection walls as in Japan to save lives and property along the coastline; d) social costs such as loss of livelihood for coastal people dependent upon fisheries and marketing of marine products.
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman
Special Investigation June 15, 2008
An expert analysis of Sethu project
The howlers in the expert committee report on SSCP
By Captain (Retd) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
During the course of my analysis of the Report submitted by the ‘Committee of Eminent Persons’, I found that the Report faulted the ‘Detailed Project Report (DPR), prepared by the Consultants to the Project—M/s L&T Thornboll. Yet, Cabinet sanction for the SSCP was accorded on the basis of the DPR!! This left me wondering—‘What sanctity for Cabinet approvals, if the ‘due process of application of mind’ is conspicuous by its absence?
Report of ‘the committee of eminent persons’ finds fault with the DPR
Chapter-8: “Economic Viability And Related Issues”
Para 8.2.3 (pp –96)
“Hence, it may not be fair to pick up a few developments selectively and object to the viability of the Project, which was worked out sometime ago. As regards the comments made on the approach and assumptions adopted in the DPR, the main argument against the DPR rests on the distance that will be saved by ships that are coming from Europe, America, Persian Gulf and Africa (using Suez Canal). While the DPR takes the savings in distance from Cape Comorin, it has been argued that these ships need not come right up to Cape Comorin to go around Sri Lanka. This observation is valid as the ships coming from Europe, America, Africa etc. need not come to Cape Comorin for going around Sri Lanka. To that extent the savings in distance, particularly for non-coastal cargo, will be less.”
Para 8.2.6 (pp – 97)
“It is clear from this Table that there is hardly any saving for a ship coming via Port Louis (Mauritius) to the east coast ports. Hence, the point made that the ships coming from Mauritius using Cape of Good Hope route will not use the Channel is valid. However, the consultants have also not identified the ships coming via Mauritius in any of the five origin – destination pairs identified for the SSC (Table 6.10 of the DPR). It is seen that the difference in distance saved by the ships coming from Suez Canal to the east coast ports as obtained from the Chief Hydrographer and the one given by the Consultants in DPR is only 19 NM. The Consultants in DPR have taken the Channel length as 152 km for calculation of savings in fuel and savings in time charters whereas, the actual Channel length in DPR is 167.22 km. These differences, in Channel length and savings in distance, will have some impact on the savings of the ships.”
Para 8.2.7 (pp – 98)
The second argument is that the Consultants have taken the average distance saved instead of calculating the savings in distance for each ship journey. It is seen from the distances in the DPR that the distance saved varies from 254 NM to 424 NM. With this variation in distance, taking a simple average of 335.5 NM may not reveal the correct picture. It is seen as per the traffic statement for SSC in DPR (Table 6-11 page 158 of DPR), there is no coastal movement between Chennai and Tuiticorin, where the distance saved is maximum. However, the possibility of cargo movement between these ports exists, when the coastal shipping picks up. Most of the revenue is coming from non-coastal cargo. The average distance saved from Aden to different ports on east coast, excluding Tuiticorin, as per the distances obtained from Chief Hydrographer is 271 NM. The Consultants may have taken average distance so as to determine uniform Channel Charges for all routes; nevertheless, it would have been better if the Consultants had calculated the distance saved for each pair for estimating savings of ships and then recommend a tariff rate. The approach followed by the Consultants to propose tariff @ 75 per cent of savings in one of the alternatives, may result in a scenario where the Channel charges may be higher than the savings. As the tariff @ 50 per cent of savings has been proposed, in the base case IRR, such a situation has been avoided. However, the savings to some ships will be more than 50 per cent while for some it will be lower.”
Para 8.2.8 (pp – 98)
“It is, however, worthwhile to mention that the average distance taken (142 NM) in the Report captioned “Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP)” is the average of ships taking the Suez route as well as the Mauritius route. This is also not relevant because the DPR does not envisage the ships moving via Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius as potential traffic for SSC. However, the Consultants have not explained how the ships coming from Africa other than Suez route, have not been taken into account while identifying SSC cargo from Africa. Similarly, the Consultants have not clarified how crude oil vessels and inter-port movements within east coast ports, have been excluded.”
Para 8.2.13 (pp – 100)
“ As regards speed of vessels, the Consultants have assumed that the ships will move at an average speed of 12 NM in open sea and 8 NM in the restricted channel. There are some apprehensions about the speed at which ships can move in a regulated channel. - - - - - -. Based on the impression gathered by the Members from the mariners, it is felt that an average speed of 6 to 8 NM in the proposed Channel is not an unreasonable assumption.”
Para 8.2.14 (pp – 100)
“The proposed Channel is a double lane Channel. The Consultants have recommended a double lane Channel as reducing it to a single lane would have enhanced the waiting period. This could have also been backed by a financial analysis.”
Para 8.2.15 (pp –100)
“The Consultants have estimated revenues escalating @ five per cent per annum. The revenues come mainly from the Channel charges. The charges are linked to savings in fuel cost and savings in charter costs. Hence, the increase in revenue is related to the increase in charter and bunker prices. The basis for estimating the escalation of five per cent per annum in revenue and costs has not been spelt out. The Consultants have also made no mention of the social cost.”
Para 8.2.16 (pp-100)
“The Consultants have taken 2001-02 as base for port-wise and commodity-wise forecast for next 20 years. The Consultants have taken average parcel load of previous three years from 1999-00 to 2001-02 as the basis to estimate the number of potential ships for the Channel in the next 20 years. Again, the Consultants have taken the DWT wise break up of vessels calling at east coast ports (excluding Tuiticorin) in 2001-02 as the basis to estimate the size-wise number of ships likely to use the Channel. The Committee feels that the Consultants should have taken into account the trend or other developments that may change the inter-se share in future.”
Chapter 6: Environment And Related Issues
“Issue 5: Impact of Cyclones on the Project and also on sedimentation dynamics”
Para 6.4.13 (pp – 77)
(A Howler!!!)
“It appears that all the ports on the coast will be vulnerable and not only the SSCP. Necessary safeguards to deal with cyclone condition have been incorporated in the Project design.”
(Comment: As young mariners, we are taught in the Navigation School, about the dangers posed by the ‘Tropical Revolving Storms’ (Cyclones) and the precautions and actions to be taken at sea to ‘avoid’ these ‘Cyclones’. These are highlighted in the Admiralty publication “The Mariner’s Handbook”. But, this is the FIRST TIME, I’m learning about ‘necessary precautions’ taken to safeguard a ‘static entity’ called the SSCP’!! Should be in the reckoning for the Nobel Prize in ‘SCIENCE’!!)
“Issue 7: Impact of sulphur in the fuel on environment”
Para 6.4.20 (pp – 79)
“The emission of SO2 due to burning of fuel in ship is considered as a line source. The ships have been recommended to use low sulphur fuel. The emissions envisaged will be low and impact of these emissions on the Marine National Park which is 20 km away from the Channel, considering the dispersion and dilution potential available due to sea wind, is not envisaged”.
(Comment: The use of Low Sulphur High Speed Diesel (LSHSD) by ships will affect the fuel savings costs as LSHSD is nearly 1.5 times costlier than HSD. The difference in rates between HSD and LSHSD can be clearly seen on the website www.bunkerworld.com)
(The writer can be contacted at “Athreya”A1/8-flat-5 22nd Cross Street Besantnagar, Chennai-600 090)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=241&page=13
http://setubandha.blogspot.com/2008/05/analysing-economic-viability-of-sscp.html
Analysing the economic viability of the SSCP from a shipping perspective on the basis of official reports – Part 7 by Capt. (Retd.) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
Introduction
1. Over the past year (2007), much has been written and stated, in the media, about the viability or otherwise, of the SSCP. The statements have also highlighted the economic benefits that would accrue to the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu on account of the SSCP.
2. This paper analyses the economic viability of the SSCP, from a shipping perspective, on the basis of information contained in various 'official documents' and reports such as:
(a) The website of the Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. (SCL)
(b) The 'Report' submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' to the Govt. of India. This 'Report had formed the basis of the revised affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, by the Govt. of India.
(c) The 'Information Memorandum of Sept. 2005' prepared by the then UTI Bank (now Axis Bank), the lead Bank for arranging the financial loan for the execution of the Project.
Economic viability of the SSCP
SCL Website
3. The website, in addition to highlighting various USPs of the project, states: "Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, which envisages digging a ship channel across the Palk Straits between India and Sri Lanka, is finally taking shape. The project will allow ships sailing between the East and West Coasts of India to have a straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of having to circumvent Sri Lanka. This will lead to a saving of upto 424 nautical miles (780 kms) and upto 30 hours in sailing time." It further states: "The project will become self-sustaining over a period of time. According to conservative estimates, about 3055 vessels will be using the canal annually. This will inevitably go up further."
4. The foregoing statement in the website implies that the SSCP is envisaged as a profitable undertaking which would lead to its self-sustenance in the years ahead.
Information Memorandum of the UTI Bank (now Axis Bank)
5. From this document, the annual expenditure for the SCL can be calculated. The main items forming this expenditure are summarized below.
6. Operation and Maintenance Costs (O&M Costs). From item 10.2 of the 'Information Memorandum', the budgeted figures for the O&M costs are as follows:
(a)Maintenance Costs
(Rs. in millions)
-- Maintenance of Vessel traffic Management Scheme (VTMS) 50
-- Maintenance dredging 200
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year Maintenance Dredging has been
pegged at Rs. 170 million and from the 5th year onwards it
stabilizes at Rs. 140 million)
-- Civil Maintenance 10
-- Tugs and launches 100
-- Plant and Machinery 10
(b) Operation costs
-- Administration and staff costs 50
--VTMS 8.5
--Tugs and Launches 68
-- Plant and Machinery 20
(d) Contingency and Project Management costs
-- Contingencies 25.8
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year, this has been pegged at
Rs. 24.3 million. From the 5th year onwards, it stabilizes at
Rs. 22.8 million).
7. Details of the financial loan. From Item 14 of the Information Memorandum, entitled 'Indicative Term Sheet,' the following are the details of the financial loan:--
(a) Rupee loan
-- Amount Rs. 4369 million
-- Interest rate 8%
-- Loan period 13 years
-- Moratorium period 5 years
-- Principal repayment 16 'equal installments' from the end of 5 years
(b) US Dollar loan
-- Amount USD 100 milion
-- Interest rate Libor + 125 to 175 basis points = 5%
-- Loan period 20 years
-- Moratorium period 8 years
-- Principal repayment 24 'equal installments' from the end of 8 years
(c) Zero coupon bonds
-- Amount Rs. 5826 million
-- Interest rate NIL
-- Loan period 30 years
-- Moratorium period 18 years
- Principal repayment 12 'annual instalments' beginning from the end of 18 years
8. Profitability. A profit margin of 9% has been assumed for the project to build reserves.
9. Thus, the 'Income to be generated' by the SCL to become a self-sustaining undertaking, on an annual basis, is tabulated at Appendix A. The Zero Coupon Bonds have not been taken into account for the purposes of this analysis.
10. Ship tariff. As the SCL website anticipates an annual shipping traffic of 3055 ships to pass through the SSCP, the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships has been calculated and tabulated at Appendix A.
Time and fuel cost savings
11. The Report submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' (Chapter 8, para 8.2.5), gives the voyage distances between the ports of 'Origin' and 'Destination'. The voyage speeds in the 'open sea' as also through the 'SSCP' have been given in this Report (Chapter 8, para 8.2.13).
12. On the basis of the foregoing, the following have been tabulated: (a) Fuel cost savings—Appendix B; (b) Time savings –-Appendix C
Analysis of the Appendices
13. The Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons', in Chapter 8, Para 8.2.7 states: "The approach followed by the consultants to propose tariff @ 75% of savings in one of the alternatives, may result in a scenario where the channel charges may be higher than the savings. As the tariff rate @50% of savings has been proposed, in the base case I.R.R., such a situation has been avoided. However, the savings to some ships will be more than 50%, while for some, it will be lower."
14. In the light of the foregoing, comparison of the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships as calculated at Appendix A, and 50% the Fuel Cost Savings at Appendix B (column 'q'), will clearly reveal that the SCL will NOT be able to recover its expenditure burden in the FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION ITSELF.
15. On the other hand, if the SCL decides on a higher tariff regime, as in the case of the major ports of India (e.g. Chennai Port Rs. 1.11 lakh/km for 7 kms of 'pilotage'), then the fuel cost savings achieved by navigating through the SSCP, will be nullified for the shipping companies.
16. The 'Time Savings' tabulation at Appendix C debunks the claim of the SCL website of 'Savings upto 30 hours in sailing time'. The same is the case in 'Savings in Voyage distances' also.
17. Cost escalation. A report in the economics daily 'MINT' of 25 Sept. 2007, entitled 'Money runs dry for Sethusamudram', stated the cost of the project has 'Skyrocketed to at least 4000 crores, interest rates have crawled higher and old loan terms have lapsed.' In a word, higher tariff regime for ships other than indicated at Appendix A.
Conclusion
18. In my earlier 6 Part analysis of the SSCP, I had concluded that the 'SSCP just does not make any nautical sense.'
19. The present analysis, on the basis of official reports, has only served to reinforce the earlier conclusion.
20. The SSCP is a nautical folly.
Appendices:
(A) Income Generatin and Possible ship Tariff
(B) Fuel Cost Savings
(C) Time Savings
References:
(1) Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. Website URL: www.sethusamudram.gov.in
(2) Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons'
(3) Informatin Memorandum of the UTI Bank (Axis Bank) URL: http://sethusamudram.gov.in/Images/InfoMemo.doc
Appendix A SSCP – Income Generation and Ship Tariff
(Rs. in Lakhs); US $ = Rs. 39.79
Year/item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Rupee loan interest 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2
Rupee loan principal 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25
US $ loan interest 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5
US $ loan
principal 3315.83
O&M 5423.0 5423.0 5108.0 5108.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0
9% profit 981.69 981.69 953.34 953.34 924.99 1416.5 1416.5 1416.5 1714.93
TOTAL 11889.39 11889.39 11546.04 11546.04 11202.69 17155.40 17155.40 17155.40 20769.71
TARIFF
(Total / 3055) 3.89 3.89 3.78 3.78 3.66 5.61 5.61 5.61 6.79
Appendix B SSCP Voyages: Fuel Costs and Savings
(Open sea speed = 12 knots; SSCP speed = 6 knots)
Voyage From Voyage To Voyage Fuel Cost (Around Srilanka) Voyage Vuel Cost (Via SSCP) Savings Rs.
Aden Chennai 64,26,744.3 60,04,222.8 4.22,521.5
Aden Vizag 70,53,937.8 67,63,501.8 2,90,436.0
Aden Kolkata 78,47,019.3 76,63,104.0 1,83,915.3
Kochi Chennai 22,36,933.0 18,04,469.6
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If SSP Corporationis chronically sick,it may not matter much to Baalu. The Government will not become bankrupt overnight! Much less, the longevity of Baaly in politis is limited, He is simply making hay while sun shines! For the opportunists and self seekers like Baa;u. the arguments of Dr. Kalyanaram, though most sensible, may not mean much to Baalu
M.Srinivaan
--- On Sat, 3/5/08, kalyan97
From: kalyan97
Subject: [Branded Indian] Analysing the economic viability of the SSCP -- Capt. (Retd) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
To:
Date: Saturday, 3 May, 2008, 5:11 PM
http://setubandha. blogspot. com/2008/ 05/analysing- economic- viability- of-sscp.html
Analysing the economic viability of the SSCP from a shipping perspective on the basis of official reports – Part 7 by Capt. (Retd.) H. Balakrishnan, I.N.
Introduction
1. Over the past year (2007), much has been written and stated, in the media, about the viability or otherwise, of the SSCP. The statements have also highlighted the economic benefits that would accrue to the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu on account of the SSCP.
2. This paper analyses the economic viability of the SSCP, from a shipping perspective, on the basis of information contained in various 'official documents' and reports such as:
(a) The website of the Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. (SCL)
(b) The 'Report' submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' to the Govt. of India. This 'Report had formed the basis of the revised affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, by the Govt. of India.
(c) The 'Information Memorandum of Sept. 2005' prepared by the then UTI Bank (now Axis Bank), the lead Bank for arranging the financial loan for the execution of the Project.
Economic viability of the SSCP
SCL Website
3. The website, in addition to highlighting various USPs of the project, states: "Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, which envisages digging a ship channel across the Palk Straits between India and Sri Lanka, is finally taking shape. The project will allow ships sailing between the East and West Coasts of India to have a straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of having to circumvent Sri Lanka. This will lead to a saving of upto 424 nautical miles (780 kms) and upto 30 hours in sailing time." It further states: "The project will become self-sustaining over a period of time. According to conservative estimates, about 3055 vessels will be using the canal annually.. This will inevitably go up further."
4. The foregoing statement in the website implies that the SSCP is envisaged as a profitable undertaking which would lead to its self-sustenance in the years ahead.
Information Memorandum of the UTI Bank (now Axis Bank)
5. From this document, the annual expenditure for the SCL can be calculated. The main items forming this expenditure are summarized below.
6. Operation and Maintenance Costs (O&M Costs). From item 10.2 of the 'Information Memorandum', the budgeted figures for the O&M costs are as follows:
(a)Maintenance Costs
(Rs. in millions)
-- Maintenance of Vessel traffic Management Scheme (VTMS) 50
-- Maintenance dredging 200
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year Maintenance Dredging has been
pegged at Rs. 170 million and from the 5th year onwards it
stabilizes at Rs. 140 million)
-- Civil Maintenance 10
-- Tugs and launches 100
-- Plant and Machinery 10
(b) Operation costs
-- Administration and staff costs 50
--VTMS 8.5
--Tugs and Launches 68
-- Plant and Machinery 20
(d) Contingency and Project Management costs
-- Contingencies 25.8
(Note: For the 3rd and 4th year, this has been pegged at
Rs. 24.3 million. From the 5th year onwards, it stabilizes at
Rs. 22.8 million).
7. Details of the financial loan. From Item 14 of the Information Memorandum, entitled 'Indicative Term Sheet,' the following are the details of the financial loan:--
(a) Rupee loan
-- Amount Rs. 4369 million
-- Interest rate 8%
-- Loan period 13 years
-- Moratorium period 5 years
-- Principal repayment 16 'equal installments' from the end of 5 years
(b) US Dollar loan
-- Amount USD 100 milion
-- Interest rate Libor + 125 to 175 basis points = 5%
-- Loan period 20 years
-- Moratorium period 8 years
-- Principal repayment 24 'equal installments' from the end of 8 years
(c) Zero coupon bonds
-- Amount Rs. 5826 million
-- Interest rate NIL
-- Loan period 30 years
-- Moratorium period 18 years
- Principal repayment 12 'annual instalments' beginning from the end of 18 years
8. Profitability.. A profit margin of 9% has been assumed for the project to build reserves.
9. Thus, the 'Income to be generated' by the SCL to become a self-sustaining undertaking, on an annual basis, is tabulated at Appendix A. The Zero Coupon Bonds have not been taken into account for the purposes of this analysis.
10. Ship tariff. As the SCL website anticipates an annual shipping traffic of 3055 ships to pass through the SSCP, the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships has been calculated and tabulated at Appendix A.
Time and fuel cost savings
11. The Report submitted by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons' (Chapter 8, para 8.2.5), gives the voyage distances between the ports of 'Origin' and 'Destination' . The voyage speeds in the 'open sea' as also through the 'SSCP' have been given in this Report (Chapter 8, para 8.2.13).
12. On the basis of the foregoing, the following have been tabulated: (a) Fuel cost savings—Appendix B; (b) Time savings –-Appendix C
Analysis of the Appendices
13. The Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons', in Chapter 8, Para 8.2.7 states: "The approach followed by the consultants to propose tariff @ 75% of savings in one of the alternatives, may result in a scenario where the channel charges may be higher than the savings. As the tariff rate @50% of savings has been proposed, in the base case I.R.R., such a situation has been avoided. However, the savings to some ships will be more than 50%, while for some, it will be lower."
14. In the light of the foregoing, comparison of the possible tariff to be levied on individual ships as calculated at Appendix A, and 50% the Fuel Cost Savings at Appendix B (column 'q'), will clearly reveal that the SCL will NOT be able to recover its expenditure burden in the FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION ITSELF.
15. On the other hand, if the SCL decides on a higher tariff regime, as in the case of the major ports of India (e.g. Chennai Port Rs. 1.11 lakh/km for 7 kms of 'pilotage'), then the fuel cost savings achieved by navigating through the SSCP, will be nullified for the shipping companies.
16. The 'Time Savings' tabulation at Appendix C debunks the claim of the SCL website of 'Savings upto 30 hours in sailing time'. The same is the case in 'Savings in Voyage distances' also.
17. Cost escalation. A report in the economics daily 'MINT' of 25 Sept. 2007, entitled 'Money runs dry for Sethusamudram' , stated the cost of the project has 'Skyrocketed to at least 4000 crores, interest rates have crawled higher and old loan terms have lapsed.' In a word, higher tariff regime for ships other than indicated at Appendix A.
Conclusion
18. In my earlier 6 Part analysis of the SSCP, I had concluded that the 'SSCP just does not make any nautical sense.'
19. The present analysis, on the basis of official reports, has only served to reinforce the earlier conclusion.
20. The SSCP is a nautical folly.
Appendices:
(A) Income Generatin and Possible ship Tariff
(B) Fuel Cost Savings
(C) Time Savings
References:
(1) Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd. Website URL: www.sethusamudram. gov.in
(2) Report by the 'Committee of Eminent Persons'
(3) Informatin Memorandum of the UTI Bank (Axis Bank) URL: http://sethusamudra m.gov.in/ Images/InfoMemo. doc
- Show quoted text -
Appendix A SSCP – Income Generation and Ship Tariff
(Rs. in Lakhs); US $ = Rs. 39.79
Year/item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Rupee loan interest 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2 3495.2
Rupee loan principal 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25 5461.25
US $ loan interest 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5 1989.5
US $ loan
principal 3315.83
O&M 5423.0 5423.0 5108.0 5108.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0 4793.0
9% profit 981.69 981.69 953.34 953.34 924.99 1416.5 1416.5 1416.5 1714.93
TOTAL 11889.39 11889.39 11546.04 11546.04 11202.69 17155.40 17155.40 17155.40 20769.71
TARIFF
(Total / 3055) 3.89 3.89 3.78 3.78 3.66 5.61 5.61 5.61 6.79
Appendix B SSCP Voyages: Fuel Costs and Savings
(Open sea speed = 12 knots; SSCP speed = 6 knots)
- Show quoted text -
Voyage From Voyage To Voyage Fuel Cost (Around Srilanka) Voyage Vuel Cost (Via SSCP) Savings Rs.
Aden Chennai 64,26,744.3 60,04,222.8 4.22,521.5
Aden Vizag 70,53,937.8 67,63,501.8 2,90,436.0
Aden Kolkata 78,47,019.3 76,63,104.0 1,83,915.3
- Show quoted text -
Kochi Chennai 22,36,933.0 18,04,469.6 4,32,403.4
Kochi Paradeep 33,25,715.9 31,29,586.2 1,96,129.7
Kochi Kolkata 36,57,208.1 34,59,090.0 1,98,118.1
Tuticorin Vizag 24,71,278.5 19,56,439.0 5,14,839.5
Tuticorin Kolkata 32,66,634.8 28,56,893.0 4,09,741.4
Notes
(A) The distance and speeds used for the calculations have been obtained from the 'Report' submitted by 'The Committee of Eminent Persons'
(B) The Indian Oil Corporation tariffs effective from 1 March 2008 for various marine fuels per metric tonne (Mt) are as follows:
(i) High Speed Diesel (HSD) for use in the SSCP = Rs. 27,384 + 23.43% VAT = Rs. 33,800/Mt
(ii) Heavy Oil (H.O.) for use in the Open Sea = Rs. 27,313 + 4% VAT = Rs. 28,405.5/Mt
(C) The average fuel consumption has been taken as 1 Mt per hour
(D) These calculations do NOT take into account the 'Pilotage Rates' that are going to be levied for using the SSCP
(E) Based on current Pilotage Rates being levied at Major Ports in India, it is probable that circumnavigating Sri Lanka would be more cost-effective.
Appendix C SSCP Time Savings for voyages
(Open sea speed = 12 knots; SSCP speed = 6 knots)
Voyage From Voyage To Voyage distance around Sri Lanka (km) Voyage distance via SSCP (km) Voyage Time around Sri Lanka Voyage Time via SSCP Savings in Time (Hours)
Aden Chennai 2715 2380 226.25 206.96 19.2
Aden Vizag 2980 2700 248.33 233.63 14.7
Aden Kolkata 3315 3080 276.25 265.3 10.9
Kochi Chennai 945 605 78.75 59 19.7
Kochi Paradeep 1405 1165 117.08 105.71 11.37
Kochi Kolkata 1545 1305 128.75 117.3 11.45
Tuticorin Vizag 1045 670 87 64.4 22.6
Tuticorin Kolkata 1380 1050
June 15, 2008
Sethu project
A mockery of science, conservation and environmental laws
By Sudarshan Rodriguez
It is beyond doubt that the Sethusamudram project will have disastrous consequences for the region’s biodiversity.
UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS: Dredging activity will result in the killing of species protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The religio-political controversy and public debate surrounding the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) have overshadowed the original arguments raised against this project, namely its environmental, economic and social impacts.
Ecological significance
Part of the project area, specifically Adam’s Bridge, falls within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GOMBR). It is India’s largest biosphere reserve and has an area of 10,500 sq km, covering the “Indian part of Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka.” It is one of India’s major coral reef ecosystems with 3,600 species of flora and fauna, of which 377 are endemic. It is famous for its chanks (conches and other shells) which make Rameswaram one of the world’s largest shell trade and craft centres. The 21 islands that constitute the core zone of the GOMBR form the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, which is India’s second marine national park. UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve concept is based on the idea of oneness of humanity transcending national frontiers and recognises the need for conservation of vanishing species and habitats. The canal at Adam’s Bridge is a mere 20 km from Shingle Island, one of these 21 islands. With the completion of the SSCP, ships will be navigating through the biosphere reserve and close to the park.
The other part where most of the capital dredging is planned in the Palk Bay, which is also ecologically sensitive and has extensive sea grass meadows. Sea grasses serve as nurseries for fish stocks, and are essential grazing areas for turtles and dugongs (also known as the sea cow: a highly endangered species on the verge of extinction).
Rohan Arthur, an ecologist and a leading expert on sea grasses and corals with the Nature Conservation Foundation, is of the view that “the importance of the sea grass meadows of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar cannot be overstated, as they are a conservation hotspot of regional and global relevance.” (from Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project by Sudarshan Rodriguez, Jacob John, Rohan Arthur, Kartik Shanker and Aarthi Sridhar.)
Impact of dredging
The Palk Bay, known for its unusually high sedimentation rate, is one of the five permanent sediment sinks of India, that is, sediments are constantly being deposited in the Palk Bay and Palk Strait. The sediment sink and transport mechanism in the region are yet to be fully understood. Strangely, all the project documents summarily ignore important knowledge of sedimentation, and the bibliography stops at 1989 while some of the key papers were published in the late 1990s and since 2000. Dredging Adam’s Bridge along a 300-metre wide stretch to make the canal passage will have drastic consequences for marine ecosystems in the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar.
It will be akin to opening the floodgates of a dam and will allow sediments from the Palk Bay to flow freely into the Gulf of Mannar, thus affecting the corals and fisheries in the Marine National Park and the whole biosphere reserve. Both sea grasses and corals are sensitive to increases in sediment levels. “The changed sediment conditions have a range of effects on corals and sea grasses, affecting their basic physiology, reproduction, recruitment, population and community structure,” says Rohan Arthur in Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (cited above).
Loss of wildlife
The project directly results in loss of wildlife, specifically protected species. This is evident from its own documents (Section 1.3 and 3.2 of the Environmental Impact Assessment prepared by NEERI) which acknowledges the presence of corals, sea fans, sponges, pearl oysters, chanks and sea cucumbers along the canal. The EIA (Section 6.4.1.2 and 6.6) report states: “Due to dredging, the bottom flora and fauna on an area of about 6 sq km along the channel alignment in Adam’s Bridge and about 16-17 sq km in Palk Bay/Palk Strait area will be lost permanently.” Thus, the dredging activity for the canal will result in the killing of corals, sea fans, sponges, and sea cucumbers, all of which are protected species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
In fact, corals are Schedule I species, which means the government accords it the same protected status as a tiger. It is shocking that this aspect is being overlooked. According to the proponents of the project, it is an acceptable price to pay.
Environmental laws
The EIA did not have a dredging management programme. This is also pointed out in the L&T-Ramboll Detail Project Report (DPR) of the SSCP, which recommends that this be done (L&T-Ramboll DPR, Section 12.9.2 on page 12-11, bullet point 2). The EIA of the project also did not have a Disaster Management Plan (DMP), a mandatory legal requirement. (Under Form A, Item 11 of the EIA notification, 1994 and the Ministry of Environment and Forest’s EIA Manual).
Till date there is no DMP for the project and the project authorities have stated on various occasions that the Tuticorin Port Trust’s (TPT) DMP would be applicable for the project. The TPT’s DMP was developed only for the functioning of the Tuticorin port, where ships navigated in the southern Gulf of Mannar (around Kanyakumari) to Tuticorin and not further through the Adam’s Bridge and the Palk Bay.
Many experts have pointed out severe shortcomings in the project’s documents and design in terms of data gaps with respect to basic parameters such as sub-surface geology, bathymetry, and sedimentation process in the project area. These have resulted in the poor design of the project and inadequate assessment of risks, hazards and environmental impacts. It is beyond doubt that it will have disastrous consequences for the region’s biodiversity, causing major and permanent losses to fisheries and livelihoods.
The government needs to answer some uncomfortable questions on why it ignored its own conservation and environment laws. The relegation of the above-mentioned environmental arguments against the SSCP, and the lack of scientific rigour in the design and EIA of the project, represent a mockery of science, conservation and environmental laws.
(The writer is a Senior Research Associate at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). He can be contacted at sudarshanr@yahoo.com)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=241&page=14
History, ecology are at stake
From The Pioneer Edit Desk on June 12th
When the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan statues, the world reacted with shocked horror at this act of barbarism. What the UPA Government in India proposes to do to Ram Setu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, is no less horrifying. As may be recalled, the Setusamudram Ship Channel Project aims to create a navigable sea route, between the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, by slicing the Ram Setu in order to reduce the sailing distance between India’s coasts. Consequently, the Ram Setu, of known spiritual significance to Hindus, will be destroyed through extensive dredging. In fact, there are sound reasons for rejecting the project, as conceived at present, other than the important one of protecting the site for its cultural and religious worth. Among them, what are weighty are the objections that pertain to its wide-ranging environmental impact. For instance, experts have claimed shifts in the flows of currents would adversely affect sensitive ecosystems, as would the increasing possibility of damaging oil spills. It is estimated that fragile marine life, such as delicate corals, would be destroyed through the various processes unleashed. Life on the mainland would not remain unaffected as changes in seawater flows and temperature would impact climate and affect rainfall in coastal areas even as erosion could increase. Most importantly, experts inform us, the Ram Setu forms a barrier that blocks tsunamis, in the absence of which the entire coasts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu could be endangered. Were this not reason enough, Thorium deposits in Kerala and Tamil Nadu may be affected, upsetting India’s indigenous nuclear programme. It is significant that the Sir Mudaliar Committee Report of 1956 had recommended the abandonment of the idea of such a project, finding the channel alignment unsuitable.
The argument about the spiritual significance of the site is no less compelling. It is neither here nor there to argue that there is little scientific evidence to prove that Adam’s Bridge is manmade. For, within each spiritual tradition are matters purely of belief for which no rational explanations or scientific proofs are available. Thus Christians believe in the immaculate conception, the Jews that the Red Sea parted for Moses, and Muslims that Islam was revealed to the Prophet through the divine agency of Angel Gabriel. The Hindu belief that Hanuman’s vanar sena built a bridge to Lanka that allowed Ram to cross over, fell Ravana and rescue Sita is in a similar vein and should hardly be scoffed at. The historicity of the event has little relevance to the debate, though it is possible that, as Indians were prone to oral narratives rather than written records, facts are likely to be the basis of the Ramayan. As the sentiments of hundreds of millions of people are involved, these cannot be trumped by the views of an individual Minister in a democracy. Nothing explains the unholy hurry in going ahead with the project except the need to pander to the crassest financial interests.
Editor’s addendum: S Badrinarayanan, former director of Geological Survey of India and a member of the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) says the Adam’s Bridge was not a natural formation. “Such a natural formation is impossible. Unless somebody has transported them and dumped them there, those reefs could not have come there. Some boulders were so light that they could float on water. Apparently, whoever has done it, has identified light (but strong) boulders to make it easy for transportation. Since they are strong, they can withstand a lot of weight. It should be preserved as a national monument,” he opined.
http://www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/2007/07/save-ram-setu/
Rama Setu: campaign for recognition as world heritage
Campaign to declare Gulf of Mannar as world heritage site
New York (PTI) (The Hindu, June 10, 2008): A US-based NGO has launched a campaign for designating the Gulf of Mannar, which includes Ram Sethu that is at the centre of the controversy in India over construction of a ship canal project, as a UNESCO World Heritage Natural and Cultural site.
In a statement, the Living Planet Foundation said the site fulfils the criteria and requirements set forth in the World Heritage Convention.
The designation would assist in the protection of the first marine biosphere reserve in all of South and Southeast Asia, it said.
The Foundation claimed that its activists have submitted petitions to the Indian embassy and consulates in the United States.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Foundation said the declaration of Gulf of Mannar as World Heritage Site would enhance India's prestige.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200806101501.htm
Campaign for Manner Gulf as Heritage Site
Tuesday, 06.10.2008, 06:41am (GMT-7)
HOUSTON: The Living Planet Foundation of USA, in association with a number of international organizations has launched a worldwide campaign to have the Gulf of Mannar designated as a UNESCO World Heritage mixed Natural and Cultural site.A delegation from the Campaign met with S.M. Gavai, Consul General of India at the India Consulate General Houston, Texas and handed him the Campaign's letter addressed to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Founders of the Campaign believe that the Gulf of Mannar which includes Ram Sethu (Adam's Bridge) fulfills the criteria and requirements set forth in the World Heritage Convention for designation as a World Heritage Site.
This designation would assist in the protection of this first marine Biosphere reserve in all of South and Southeast Asia located on the southeastern tip of India in the state of Tamil Nadu.The Campaign is urging people of all walks of life to appeal the Government of India to petition the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to declare the Gulf of Mannar a World Heritage Site. The meeting covered a range of topics, including the importance of the Gulf of Mannar as an ecological and environmental hotspot, the cultural and religious aspects of Ram Sethu (Adam's Bridge) and the thorium deposits of the region.
Gavai gave a clear declaration from him that the ecological and environmental aspects of the Gulf of Mannar must not be ignored. He promised to look into the matter and also expressed a keen interest about the Thorium deposits in the region of Mannar and its potential as India's nuclear energy resource.In other parts of the world, volunteers from the Campaign handed petitions to the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and Consulates in Chicago and Toronto.
India Post News Service
http://indiapost.com/article/communitypost/2980/
BJP ropes in foreign troupes to enact Ram Lila
Hemender Sharma
CNN-IBN
http://www.ibnlive.com/pix/sitepix/06_2008/ramsetu_cambodia_248.jpg
WORLD CELEBRATES RAMLILA: Playing music on wooden instruments is Cambodian way of paying homage to the gods.
Bhopal: In an answer from the ruling state BJP government to those behind the controversial Ram Setu affidavit, troupes from eight different countries will be participating in a nine-day long festival that will stage the different forms of Ram Lila.
Troupes from Cambodia, Bali, Sri Lanka, Java, Thailand and Singapore have all arrived in Bhopal to enact the eternal battle between good and evil.
“Lord Rama is India. Without him India is nothing. Not just India, Ram Lila is staged in other parts of the world too. Therefore, we have organised this festival to tell the reality to those people who, through an affidavit, questioned the existence of Lord Rama,” Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says.
In Cambodia, Rama is known as Pharash Ream and Ravana as Krong Reap. And Cambodians pay homage to their gods by playing music on wooden instruments.
Meanwhile, for the ruling BJP, turning their focus to Ram in an election year, is yet another attempt to consolidate its core strength.
"It is not just the BJP. Gandhiji also remembered Rama and introduced the concept of Ram Rajya," BJP President Rajnath Singh says.
The multi-cultural Ramayana is being staged in Ujjain, Gwalior and Bhopal.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/bjp-ropes-in-foreign-troupe-to-enact-ramayana/66811-3.html
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Dr. S Kalyanaraman awarded 19th Dr. Hedgewar Praj~na Samman
Sunday June 08 2008 Kolkata:
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, President of Rama Setu Raksha Manch and Director of Saraswati Shodh Sansthan, received the 19th annual Dr. Hedgewar Praj~na Samman award. Former Union Minister Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi presided over the function held at the Kalamandira Prekshagriha. The award is given every year to an eminent scholar for lifelong contribution to Indic research by Shri Burrabazar Kumar Sabha Pustakalaya Kolkata and consists of a citation, a memento and Rs 51,000. Dr. Kalyanaraman, was given the award for his path breaking work towards researches in Saraswati Civilization and for his efforts in Rama Setu Protection Movement.
Born on October 20, 1939 at a village under Tanjor district of Tamil Nadu Dr Kalyanraman completed BA from Annamalai University in 1958. He joined the Accountant General Office of Bangalore after his father’s demise. He also worked as the Chief Controller of Accounts (Karnataka Electricity Board) and a financial advisor in Railway Board till 1978. He then took up an assignment in the Asian Development Bank as a senior officer till 1995. During this period he toured 29 countries of the world and monitored 650 developmental projects. He did his Ph.d in Public Administration in 1982. He also played a key role in computerisation of the Indian Railways.
With the inspiration of the late Shri Moropant Pingle, Dr Kalyanraman joined him in the Saraswati river research project. He took voluntary retirement from the Asian Development Bank five years before the actual retirement. While working with the project he not only discovered the flow route of Saraswati river but also materialised it practically at some places. Dr Kalyanraman wishes to irrigate additional nine crore acre land of the country while connecting Brahmaputra and other rivers. He has authored a five-volume book on Sindhu script and 8-volume book on Saraswati river civilisation. Earlier he was also honoured with Vakankar Award in the year 2000.
Speaking at the function, Dr. Kalyanaraman narrated how after being inspired by Shri Moropant Pingale, both of them took up the Saraswati Research and extensively traveled in the interiors of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Himachal, to trace the path of Saraswati River that dried up five thousand years ago. Speaking in Hindi, he narrated many mesmerizing details about his research. He also shared with audience the status of Ram Setu Protection Movement, and described in detail how the legal battle is progressing. He also added that the real battle will be won not in court rooms, but on roads.
Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi who handed the award, also spoke recounting how when he was the Union Minister for HRD, the government had initiated projects to discover the new facets of Indic Culture and how these were branded by the left-secular media as saffronization of Indian history.
Shri Suresh Soni, the saha-sara-kaaryavaah of RSS, was the chief guest of the function which was also attended by Shri S Vedantam, the Working President of VHP, Shri Tarun Vijay, director of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, the office bearers of the library and general public.
Visit this site tomorrow for images and videos.
http://www.bridgeofram.com/2008/06/dr-s-kalyanaraman-awarded-19th-dr.html
Friday, June 6, 2008
Rama Setu could have been declared national monument in 1914
British Governor wanted Ram Setu declared national monument in 1914
Rana Ajit | New Delhi (Pioneer, June 6, 2008)
Friday, June 06, 2008
Adam's bridge could have been national monument in 1914
New Delhi: A senior British official had sought national monument status for the Ram Sethu or Adam's Bridge off the Tamil Nadu coast almost a century ago, something that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some Hindu groups are pressing for now.
Lord Pentland, who was the governor of the Madras presidency between 1912 and 1919, had written to the then Indian Viceroy Lord Hardinge in December 1914 to have an archaeological study conducted on the Ram Sethu - between Rameshwaram, in India, and Sri Lanka - to ascertain if it could be declared a national monument.
"I would earnestly request you to direct the Archaeological Survey of India to undertake an extensive and intensive survey of Rameshwaram and its beautiful environs, particularly with reference to historic and primordial Adam's Bridge, for declaring it as a national monument," Lord Pentland wrote to Lord Hardinge after touring Rameshwaram in 1914.
The letter, retrieved by former union minister Subramaniam Swamy from the archives of the Chennai mayor's office, has now been sent to the central government to buttress his claim that the Ram Sethu needs to be declared a national monument after an archaeological study.
On a bunch of lawsuits, filed by Swamy and others, the apex court on May 8 had advised the government to explore the possibility of sparing the Ram Sethu and adopting an "alternative alignment" to build a shorter navigational route around the Indian peninsula.
The court had also sought the government's stand for an archaeological study to ascertain if the Ram Sethu could be declared a national monument.
Lord Pentland, after touring Rameshwaram and other places in his presidency, wrote: "Along the Bay of Bengal, the Madras presidency runs with the well-governed city of Madras at its centre and the sublime and glorious temple of Tanjore (Thanjavur), Trichinopoly (Tiruchirapalli), Madurai and Rameshwaram adorning the southern boundaries."
"And, then the Adam's Bridge, a reef of sunken island beckons us across the Palk Strait to Ceylon, where civilization flourished more than 2,000 years ago," wrote Lord Pentland.
"Linga sculptures may be seen at many places along the highways in my presidency. The Hindus break upon them the coconuts, which they offer in sacrifice. Usually the ritual is simple and becoming," he added.
Under the spell of India's "simple and becoming" lifestyle in Rameshwaram, Lord Pentland found his own English lifestyle a "bottled-up" one and went on to write: "For me, Rameshwaram, very much like India as a whole, is the real world. We Englishmen live in a mad house of abstractions."
"Vital life in Rameshwaram has not yet withdrawn in the capsule of the head. It's the whole body, which lives here. No wonder, the Englishmen feel dreamlike; the complete life of Rameshwaram is something, which they merely dream... while living in England in a sort of bottle, filled with English air."
Describing special features of the Rameshwaram temple and other places of the Madras Presidency, Pentland wrote, "All these are a little part of my beloved Presidency - indeed my favourite India."
"Right from the dawn of history, India is extraordinarily discontinuous. From early times in India, it is ethnology, philology and archaeology that give and will give us some notions of the truth. From archaeology, much can be expected," he wrote while pleading to Lord Hardinge for an archaeological study of the Ram Sethu.
The BJP and other Hindu groups are against the Rs.24 billion Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP), which aims to provide a shorter navigational sea route around India's southern peninsula by dredging the peak of what is believed to be the Ram Sethu. The Supreme Court is hearing the plea against the damage to the Adam's Bridge, which many Hindus believe to be the mythological bridge built during the Ramayana.
Source: Indo-Asian News Service
Rana Ajit | New Delhi (Pioneer, June 6, 2008)
Friday, June 06, 2008
Adam's bridge could have been national monument in 1914
New Delhi: A senior British official had sought national monument status for the Ram Sethu or Adam's Bridge off the Tamil Nadu coast almost a century ago, something that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some Hindu groups are pressing for now.
Lord Pentland, who was the governor of the Madras presidency between 1912 and 1919, had written to the then Indian Viceroy Lord Hardinge in December 1914 to have an archaeological study conducted on the Ram Sethu - between Rameshwaram, in India, and Sri Lanka - to ascertain if it could be declared a national monument.
"I would earnestly request you to direct the Archaeological Survey of India to undertake an extensive and intensive survey of Rameshwaram and its beautiful environs, particularly with reference to historic and primordial Adam's Bridge, for declaring it as a national monument," Lord Pentland wrote to Lord Hardinge after touring Rameshwaram in 1914.
The letter, retrieved by former union minister Subramaniam Swamy from the archives of the Chennai mayor's office, has now been sent to the central government to buttress his claim that the Ram Sethu needs to be declared a national monument after an archaeological study.
On a bunch of lawsuits, filed by Swamy and others, the apex court on May 8 had advised the government to explore the possibility of sparing the Ram Sethu and adopting an "alternative alignment" to build a shorter navigational route around the Indian peninsula.
The court had also sought the government's stand for an archaeological study to ascertain if the Ram Sethu could be declared a national monument.
Lord Pentland, after touring Rameshwaram and other places in his presidency, wrote: "Along the Bay of Bengal, the Madras presidency runs with the well-governed city of Madras at its centre and the sublime and glorious temple of Tanjore (Thanjavur), Trichinopoly (Tiruchirapalli), Madurai and Rameshwaram adorning the southern boundaries."
"And, then the Adam's Bridge, a reef of sunken island beckons us across the Palk Strait to Ceylon, where civilization flourished more than 2,000 years ago," wrote Lord Pentland.
"Linga sculptures may be seen at many places along the highways in my presidency. The Hindus break upon them the coconuts, which they offer in sacrifice. Usually the ritual is simple and becoming," he added.
Under the spell of India's "simple and becoming" lifestyle in Rameshwaram, Lord Pentland found his own English lifestyle a "bottled-up" one and went on to write: "For me, Rameshwaram, very much like India as a whole, is the real world. We Englishmen live in a mad house of abstractions."
"Vital life in Rameshwaram has not yet withdrawn in the capsule of the head. It's the whole body, which lives here. No wonder, the Englishmen feel dreamlike; the complete life of Rameshwaram is something, which they merely dream... while living in England in a sort of bottle, filled with English air."
Describing special features of the Rameshwaram temple and other places of the Madras Presidency, Pentland wrote, "All these are a little part of my beloved Presidency - indeed my favourite India."
"Right from the dawn of history, India is extraordinarily discontinuous. From early times in India, it is ethnology, philology and archaeology that give and will give us some notions of the truth. From archaeology, much can be expected," he wrote while pleading to Lord Hardinge for an archaeological study of the Ram Sethu.
The BJP and other Hindu groups are against the Rs.24 billion Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP), which aims to provide a shorter navigational sea route around India's southern peninsula by dredging the peak of what is believed to be the Ram Sethu. The Supreme Court is hearing the plea against the damage to the Adam's Bridge, which many Hindus believe to be the mythological bridge built during the Ramayana.
Source: Indo-Asian News Service
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Karuna, call it a bad Tamil dream, give up Setu project.
Karuna, call it a bad Tamil dream, give up Setu project.
Give up Setu project, because it will be little value added to the coastal peoples’ livelihood. In fact, it will destroy their current livelihood opportunities, shrinking the fishing area by 26% and denying accress to the fish-nurseries. And, of course, it is nautical folly which will make the Setu corpn. lose over Rs. 150 crores every year, taxing the poor Indian tax-payer. There is a good alternative project: creation of Marine Economic Zones with potential to increase foreign exchange earnings by marine products export – from Rs. 2k crores per annum to Rs. 8k crores per annum since fish-landings have increased five-fold during the last 40 years in the Indian Ocean.
kalyan
June 05, 2008
Ram Sethu for a gift
This is with reference to the report, ‘Call it Sethu Ram, but do it: Karuna’ (MM, June 4). It was not altruism or his love of Tamil Nadu that made TN Chief Minister Karunanidhi request the PM to complete the Sethusamudram project as a gift for his 85th birthday. It is common knowledge that T R Baalu, the DMK minister in the UPA cabinet, owns several companies that are directly involved in the implementation of the Sethu project. It is alleged that the DMK chieftain has interest in these companies and is bound to lose heavily in case the project is scrapped. Had he been really interested in the welfare of the people, he would have asked the PM to gift him the Cauvery.
- Vijay Mohan
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article§id=21&contentid=2008060520080605032724101d20dfd13
Bungling Birthday Script! By BR Haran
On April 14 2008, the entire state was celebrating Tamil New Year Day despite the government's '(ir)rational dictum that Tamil New Year must be celebrated only on 14 January (Thai Pongal day). On that auspicious day, the state's Electricity Minister Arcot Veerasamy made a thundering declaration that, the party would ensure the movement of the first ship through the Sethu canal on Kalaignar's birthday, that is, the 3rd of June.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Patriarch, Kalaignar Karunanidhi has celebrated his eighty fifth birthday in a grand manner. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's direction to the GOI on the Rama Sethu case, he decided not to celebrate his birthday, especially after his brief hospitalization due to neck and back pain. Political observers felt that, the covert feud between the three power centres within the family circles have induced him to take that decision. But, Karunanidhi's longtime colleague and the state's Finance Minister Anbazhagan prevailed upon him and convinced him to give his assent for a big birthday bash on the grounds that the cadres would get de-motivated and demoralized and that the DMK adversaries would have a whale of a time in concocting stories maligning the party and the CM's family if the b-day is not celebrated. So, the birthday boy (!!!) made himself ready for the big bash with well-scripted dialogues, after all he has been a script writer and a dramatist through out his life.
On the eve of his birthday, Karunanidhi has written a poem in the party organ 'Murasoli' appealing to the opponents of SSCP not to oppose the project in the name of Bhagwan Rama and sought to placate them by saying that he was even prepared to name the project as 'Sethu Ram Ship Canal Project'. Also in the General Council meeting and later in the evening in the cassette release function of the film 'Uliyin Osai' (Chisel's sound), he claimed that the opposition to SSCP has been only to thwart the good name and credibility likely to be earned by him and Congress President Sonia. He felt that the opposition was not religion, but pure politics in the guise of religion. He asked the politicians (BJP/RSS/VHP) to come out of their religious guise and face the issue politically. It is an irony that Kalaignar, who has used 'religion' to the hilt in the name of secularism and social justice in his political career, is blaming the rightwing politicians as abusers of religion. .
In his speech at the general council meeting, he had stated that he was never an adversary of Bhagwan Rama. It can be recalled that only in September 2007, he insulted this nation by asking, 'was the Adams Bridge built by Rama? Is Rama an engineer? If so in which engineering college did he study? Not satisfied with this, he hurt the religious sentiments of Hindu majority by saying that Rama was a drunkard. He also ridiculed the epic and insulted Sage Tulsi Das by saying that Tulsi Das has projected Rama and Seetha as brother and sister in his Ramayana Kaavya. After ridiculing Ramayana and Rama Sethu, insulting Rama and Tulasidas and questioning the faith of the Hindu majority, he now has the audacity to say that he is not an enemy of Rama. This is what is called as the 'Double standards of the Dravidian order!
He went on to say that the Sethupathis (Kings of Ramnad) have protected the Sethu waters for ages and hence the name 'Sethu' could be connected with the name of Bhagwan Rama, so as to name the project as 'Sethu Ram', which would satisfy both the government and the Hindu Religionists. He reiterated that the SSCP has been a 150 year old dream of the Tamil people and that it is the only project, which could pave the way for the over all development of the state, as the three neighbours Karnataka, Andhra and Kerala are not willing to help it by giving its legitimate share of Cauvery, Krishna and Periyar waters respectively. The state's political history shows that he has played a vital role in bringing the Cauvery, Krishna and Periyar River issues to this sordid state of affairs. After writing the prologue in the early seventies for the Ramnad District Gazetteer, which glorifies Rama Sethu and the Sethupathis of Ramnad, he now tries to give a picture as though he is doing a favour for Bhagwan Ram and the Sethupathis by suggesting the renaming of the project as 'Sethu Ram'! In other words, he is trying to show that he gives credence to the faith of millions of Hindus worldwide and it is also an attempt to equate Bhagwan Rama with the likes of Anna and Periyar, which would give him immense 'sadistic' pleasure.
He demanded that the project, which was dreamt by stalwarts like Kamaraj and Ramasamy Mudaliyar and okayed by engineers and scientists must be implemented at any cost. Ramasamy Mudaliyar had never supported a 'sea based' channel, but only a land based channel and he was also emphatic in his opposition to break Rama Sethu. So far, Karunanidhi has never talked about Kamaraj in connection with this issue, but now he is raking up his name with an intention of putting pressure on Congress party. One also wonders which engineers he was talking about, when the experts from various fields have clearly established that the SSCP is a good for nothing project and a disastrous one too!
In a veiled threat, he has said that he was even prepared to lose his Chiefministership and the government, for the sake of the project. In a more threatening tone, he had called upon his party cadres to be ready for a 'massive battle' for the implementation of the project. This is just to indicate that, his party would go to any extent to achieve its goal.
Finally, sounding apologetic and in a tone of begging, he pleaded to the opponents of the project to sanction his birthday wish by clearing the project for implementation. He begged his opponents to award the project as a birthday gift, not for him or his family or his grandchildren or his party, but for the poor people of the state and for the future generation. As a last attempt he begged his opponents to award this project for the so-called service he rendered to Tamil, Tamil people and Tamil Nadu! This again shows the level to which he is prepared to descent down to achieve his objective!
After going down begging to the 'communal' forces on the eve of his birthday, he climbed again on top of the tree of 'pseudo-secularism' on his birthday, probably emboldened by the company of the likes of Pranab Mukherjee, Prakash Karat, D.Raja and Raghuvansh Prasad. At the public meeting organized by the party in the evening at the 'island grounds', he declared that the 'communal forces' (read BJP) must not be allowed to gain grounds, as they would spoil the secular fabric of the country. The patriarch, who brazenly enjoyed everything under the sun during the NDA regime sharing power with the very same 'communal' forces, gave a clarion birthday call to all the so-called secular forces to come together to fight against the 'Sanatana Dharma', which is a danger to the peace and progress of the country! Probably for the first time in his 'Adharmic' political career spanning more than fifty years he has 'publicly' espoused the cause of 'Adharma'.
The political pundits, who have been watching Karunanidhi's politics for the last fifty years are well aware of his antics, mannerisms and his speeches saddled with sarcasm, avarice and audacity. The point to note in the whole 'birthday-script' is that he has repeatedly harped on the so-called 'dream' and 'development', but not a word on how the state would develop and how employment opportunities would be created and how thousands of fishermen and their families would be rehabilitated and how thousands of rare species and organisms would be protected. The script doesn't have answers for the various opinions and objections raised by the experts against the project and its implementation.
On the Tamil New Year Day, when Arcot Veeerasamy said that the first ship would sail through the Sethu Canal on Karunanidhi's birthday, one wondered how it could be possible in such a short span of time! But, no one would have imagined that he would have meant only a symbolic representation. He made it a reality by erecting the stage of the public meeting in the shape of a 'SHIP' and the meeting was held at 'ISLAND' grounds near the 'Bay of Bengal'!
So, what is the motive behind such a prepared birthday script? It might be intended to convince his electorate in future that despite his sincere attempts, he couldn't attain success with regards to SSCP. Or it might be intended to indirectly threaten the Congress, conveying a message of quitting the alliance if it doesn't improve its electoral fortunes in the coming days. Or it might be intended to convey a message of readiness to the BJP for rejoining NDA. Or it might have been prepared with all the three motives of quitting UPA, joining NDA and convincing the party cadres and supporters, which could be done in one stroke! Or it might be a simple tactic of diverting the attention of people from the 'smoking' family feud. What ever said and done, it is very clear that he has taken the people for granted and that is what he has been doing for the last fifty years!
Cheers to Dravidianism! Long live Kalaignar! Doom for Tamils and Tamil Nadu!
Give up Setu project, because it will be little value added to the coastal peoples’ livelihood. In fact, it will destroy their current livelihood opportunities, shrinking the fishing area by 26% and denying accress to the fish-nurseries. And, of course, it is nautical folly which will make the Setu corpn. lose over Rs. 150 crores every year, taxing the poor Indian tax-payer. There is a good alternative project: creation of Marine Economic Zones with potential to increase foreign exchange earnings by marine products export – from Rs. 2k crores per annum to Rs. 8k crores per annum since fish-landings have increased five-fold during the last 40 years in the Indian Ocean.
kalyan
June 05, 2008
Ram Sethu for a gift
This is with reference to the report, ‘Call it Sethu Ram, but do it: Karuna’ (MM, June 4). It was not altruism or his love of Tamil Nadu that made TN Chief Minister Karunanidhi request the PM to complete the Sethusamudram project as a gift for his 85th birthday. It is common knowledge that T R Baalu, the DMK minister in the UPA cabinet, owns several companies that are directly involved in the implementation of the Sethu project. It is alleged that the DMK chieftain has interest in these companies and is bound to lose heavily in case the project is scrapped. Had he been really interested in the welfare of the people, he would have asked the PM to gift him the Cauvery.
- Vijay Mohan
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article§id=21&contentid=2008060520080605032724101d20dfd13
Bungling Birthday Script! By BR Haran
On April 14 2008, the entire state was celebrating Tamil New Year Day despite the government's '(ir)rational dictum that Tamil New Year must be celebrated only on 14 January (Thai Pongal day). On that auspicious day, the state's Electricity Minister Arcot Veerasamy made a thundering declaration that, the party would ensure the movement of the first ship through the Sethu canal on Kalaignar's birthday, that is, the 3rd of June.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Patriarch, Kalaignar Karunanidhi has celebrated his eighty fifth birthday in a grand manner. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's direction to the GOI on the Rama Sethu case, he decided not to celebrate his birthday, especially after his brief hospitalization due to neck and back pain. Political observers felt that, the covert feud between the three power centres within the family circles have induced him to take that decision. But, Karunanidhi's longtime colleague and the state's Finance Minister Anbazhagan prevailed upon him and convinced him to give his assent for a big birthday bash on the grounds that the cadres would get de-motivated and demoralized and that the DMK adversaries would have a whale of a time in concocting stories maligning the party and the CM's family if the b-day is not celebrated. So, the birthday boy (!!!) made himself ready for the big bash with well-scripted dialogues, after all he has been a script writer and a dramatist through out his life.
On the eve of his birthday, Karunanidhi has written a poem in the party organ 'Murasoli' appealing to the opponents of SSCP not to oppose the project in the name of Bhagwan Rama and sought to placate them by saying that he was even prepared to name the project as 'Sethu Ram Ship Canal Project'. Also in the General Council meeting and later in the evening in the cassette release function of the film 'Uliyin Osai' (Chisel's sound), he claimed that the opposition to SSCP has been only to thwart the good name and credibility likely to be earned by him and Congress President Sonia. He felt that the opposition was not religion, but pure politics in the guise of religion. He asked the politicians (BJP/RSS/VHP) to come out of their religious guise and face the issue politically. It is an irony that Kalaignar, who has used 'religion' to the hilt in the name of secularism and social justice in his political career, is blaming the rightwing politicians as abusers of religion. .
In his speech at the general council meeting, he had stated that he was never an adversary of Bhagwan Rama. It can be recalled that only in September 2007, he insulted this nation by asking, 'was the Adams Bridge built by Rama? Is Rama an engineer? If so in which engineering college did he study? Not satisfied with this, he hurt the religious sentiments of Hindu majority by saying that Rama was a drunkard. He also ridiculed the epic and insulted Sage Tulsi Das by saying that Tulsi Das has projected Rama and Seetha as brother and sister in his Ramayana Kaavya. After ridiculing Ramayana and Rama Sethu, insulting Rama and Tulasidas and questioning the faith of the Hindu majority, he now has the audacity to say that he is not an enemy of Rama. This is what is called as the 'Double standards of the Dravidian order!
He went on to say that the Sethupathis (Kings of Ramnad) have protected the Sethu waters for ages and hence the name 'Sethu' could be connected with the name of Bhagwan Rama, so as to name the project as 'Sethu Ram', which would satisfy both the government and the Hindu Religionists. He reiterated that the SSCP has been a 150 year old dream of the Tamil people and that it is the only project, which could pave the way for the over all development of the state, as the three neighbours Karnataka, Andhra and Kerala are not willing to help it by giving its legitimate share of Cauvery, Krishna and Periyar waters respectively. The state's political history shows that he has played a vital role in bringing the Cauvery, Krishna and Periyar River issues to this sordid state of affairs. After writing the prologue in the early seventies for the Ramnad District Gazetteer, which glorifies Rama Sethu and the Sethupathis of Ramnad, he now tries to give a picture as though he is doing a favour for Bhagwan Ram and the Sethupathis by suggesting the renaming of the project as 'Sethu Ram'! In other words, he is trying to show that he gives credence to the faith of millions of Hindus worldwide and it is also an attempt to equate Bhagwan Rama with the likes of Anna and Periyar, which would give him immense 'sadistic' pleasure.
He demanded that the project, which was dreamt by stalwarts like Kamaraj and Ramasamy Mudaliyar and okayed by engineers and scientists must be implemented at any cost. Ramasamy Mudaliyar had never supported a 'sea based' channel, but only a land based channel and he was also emphatic in his opposition to break Rama Sethu. So far, Karunanidhi has never talked about Kamaraj in connection with this issue, but now he is raking up his name with an intention of putting pressure on Congress party. One also wonders which engineers he was talking about, when the experts from various fields have clearly established that the SSCP is a good for nothing project and a disastrous one too!
In a veiled threat, he has said that he was even prepared to lose his Chiefministership and the government, for the sake of the project. In a more threatening tone, he had called upon his party cadres to be ready for a 'massive battle' for the implementation of the project. This is just to indicate that, his party would go to any extent to achieve its goal.
Finally, sounding apologetic and in a tone of begging, he pleaded to the opponents of the project to sanction his birthday wish by clearing the project for implementation. He begged his opponents to award the project as a birthday gift, not for him or his family or his grandchildren or his party, but for the poor people of the state and for the future generation. As a last attempt he begged his opponents to award this project for the so-called service he rendered to Tamil, Tamil people and Tamil Nadu! This again shows the level to which he is prepared to descent down to achieve his objective!
After going down begging to the 'communal' forces on the eve of his birthday, he climbed again on top of the tree of 'pseudo-secularism' on his birthday, probably emboldened by the company of the likes of Pranab Mukherjee, Prakash Karat, D.Raja and Raghuvansh Prasad. At the public meeting organized by the party in the evening at the 'island grounds', he declared that the 'communal forces' (read BJP) must not be allowed to gain grounds, as they would spoil the secular fabric of the country. The patriarch, who brazenly enjoyed everything under the sun during the NDA regime sharing power with the very same 'communal' forces, gave a clarion birthday call to all the so-called secular forces to come together to fight against the 'Sanatana Dharma', which is a danger to the peace and progress of the country! Probably for the first time in his 'Adharmic' political career spanning more than fifty years he has 'publicly' espoused the cause of 'Adharma'.
The political pundits, who have been watching Karunanidhi's politics for the last fifty years are well aware of his antics, mannerisms and his speeches saddled with sarcasm, avarice and audacity. The point to note in the whole 'birthday-script' is that he has repeatedly harped on the so-called 'dream' and 'development', but not a word on how the state would develop and how employment opportunities would be created and how thousands of fishermen and their families would be rehabilitated and how thousands of rare species and organisms would be protected. The script doesn't have answers for the various opinions and objections raised by the experts against the project and its implementation.
On the Tamil New Year Day, when Arcot Veeerasamy said that the first ship would sail through the Sethu Canal on Karunanidhi's birthday, one wondered how it could be possible in such a short span of time! But, no one would have imagined that he would have meant only a symbolic representation. He made it a reality by erecting the stage of the public meeting in the shape of a 'SHIP' and the meeting was held at 'ISLAND' grounds near the 'Bay of Bengal'!
So, what is the motive behind such a prepared birthday script? It might be intended to convince his electorate in future that despite his sincere attempts, he couldn't attain success with regards to SSCP. Or it might be intended to indirectly threaten the Congress, conveying a message of quitting the alliance if it doesn't improve its electoral fortunes in the coming days. Or it might be intended to convey a message of readiness to the BJP for rejoining NDA. Or it might have been prepared with all the three motives of quitting UPA, joining NDA and convincing the party cadres and supporters, which could be done in one stroke! Or it might be a simple tactic of diverting the attention of people from the 'smoking' family feud. What ever said and done, it is very clear that he has taken the people for granted and that is what he has been doing for the last fifty years!
Cheers to Dravidianism! Long live Kalaignar! Doom for Tamils and Tamil Nadu!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Setu project: work progressing well at Palk Bay? – tall claim by GOI
Setu project: work progressing well at Palk Bay? – tall claim by GOI
A new item has been added at the Sethusamudram gov.in website about Palk Bay dredging status. While dredging quantities have been shown only as of 10 Oct. 2007 and 17 Sept. 2007 for Palkbay/Palkstrait and North-of-Adam’s-Bridge respectively, the following report inserted claims to have achieved a depth of 10.73 m in April 2008. How come, it is only 10.73 m when the dredging contracts called for achieving a depth of 12 m ?
How can work progress well at Palk Bay when dredging has been stopped there as of 10 Oct. 2007 according to the very same website of Sethusamudram Corp. ? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark – this is a quote from Shakespeare to show that Setusamudram continues to be kaarasthaan.
kalyanaraman
SETHUSAMUDRAM SHIP CHANNEL WORK PROGRESSING WELL AT PALK BAY – 10.73 M ACHIEVED IN APRIL, 2008
Maritime London in association with the Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers (Madras Branch) organized a seminar at Chennai on 14.04.2008 on the topic “Realizing Maritime India’s Growth Potential“. During the course of interaction with the press after the Seminar, Shri K. Suresh, I.A.S., Chairman, Chennai port Trust who is also holding additional charge as Chairman Cum Managing Director, Sethusamudram Corporation Limited spoke at length on the project. He explained that the Sethu Project which would provide a direct link between the east and west coast of the country without circumnavigating Srilanka envisages a channel of 300 M width and 12 M depth for a total length of 167 km comprising three segments.
Initial portion in the Palk Bay of length 54 km in which dredging was in progress.
A further length of 78 km where dredging was not required due to available depths in excess of 12 M.
Adam’s Bridge portion of length 35 KM where dredging had been suspended since September 2007 due to the injunction of the Supreme Court.
Regarding the dredging operations in Palk Bay stretch, he mentioned that DCI engaged a survey launch m.v. TAURUS of M/s. Geo Star Surveys India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, for conducting a seabed survey from 04.04.08 to ascertain the depth of the channel in this 54 km stretch where at present six Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers are at work viz.
..2..
DCI DR – XVI
DR – TRILOKI PREM
DR – PACIFIQUE
DR. BANWARI PREM
DR. DARYAMANTHAN
PROF. GORJUNOV
The initial report for the stretch of 54 km above that as against the planned channel depth of – 12 mtrs Chart Datum and 300 m width, the depths are varying from – 10 mtrs to – 11 mtrs with an average of 10.73 mtrs for the initial 18 kms stretch. For the remaining 36 km of Palk Bay portion the depth varies from – 10.75 mtrs to – 11.30 mtrs from Chart Datum. This indicates that the dredging has been successfully carried out by DCI and the percentage in respect of depth achieved averages around 93%. Hence it will be possible for a vessel with 10M draft requirement to navigate from Chennai upto the coast of Rameswaram.
http://sethusamudram.gov.in/ProjectStatus_old_files/SSCP%20WORK%20PROGRESSING%20WELL%20AT%20PALK%20BAY%20-%2010.73M.doc
DMK to take agitational path for Sethu project
Chennai, June 02: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK President M Karunanidhi today said the party would organise a massive agitation, even if it meant losing power, for the implementation of Sethusamudram Shipping Channel project (SSCP).
''We should all prepare for a massive agitation, whether it means being in power or losing power, to get the Sethusamudram project implemented,'' the DMK patriarch exhorted partymen, while addressing the party's General Council meeting here.
The DMK would announce the date and mode of agitation at an appropriate time, party sources said.
Mr Karunanidhi said gone were the days when Tamil Nadu was blessed with land and water resources. The State had lost its prosperity after neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka refused water to the State.
In this backdrop, only the SSCP would bring prosperity to Tamil Nadu, the DMK leader, who was intrumental in prevailing upon the Centre to implement the project, said.
In his anxiety to implement the project, he had even offered to name the project after Lord Ram as he thought the interest of Tamils were greater than the Lord.
A resolution adopted at the General Council, the highest policy making body of the party, also appealed to the Centre to implement the project, without any delay, respecting the sentiments of Mr Karunanidhi, who had offered to name the project after Lord Ram. –
Agencies
http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7B8C7C4D0A-2757-4AE7-809A-6789737F2F7E%7D&CATEGORYNAME=CHN
A new item has been added at the Sethusamudram gov.in website about Palk Bay dredging status. While dredging quantities have been shown only as of 10 Oct. 2007 and 17 Sept. 2007 for Palkbay/Palkstrait and North-of-Adam’s-Bridge respectively, the following report inserted claims to have achieved a depth of 10.73 m in April 2008. How come, it is only 10.73 m when the dredging contracts called for achieving a depth of 12 m ?
How can work progress well at Palk Bay when dredging has been stopped there as of 10 Oct. 2007 according to the very same website of Sethusamudram Corp. ? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark – this is a quote from Shakespeare to show that Setusamudram continues to be kaarasthaan.
kalyanaraman
SETHUSAMUDRAM SHIP CHANNEL WORK PROGRESSING WELL AT PALK BAY – 10.73 M ACHIEVED IN APRIL, 2008
Maritime London in association with the Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers (Madras Branch) organized a seminar at Chennai on 14.04.2008 on the topic “Realizing Maritime India’s Growth Potential“. During the course of interaction with the press after the Seminar, Shri K. Suresh, I.A.S., Chairman, Chennai port Trust who is also holding additional charge as Chairman Cum Managing Director, Sethusamudram Corporation Limited spoke at length on the project. He explained that the Sethu Project which would provide a direct link between the east and west coast of the country without circumnavigating Srilanka envisages a channel of 300 M width and 12 M depth for a total length of 167 km comprising three segments.
Initial portion in the Palk Bay of length 54 km in which dredging was in progress.
A further length of 78 km where dredging was not required due to available depths in excess of 12 M.
Adam’s Bridge portion of length 35 KM where dredging had been suspended since September 2007 due to the injunction of the Supreme Court.
Regarding the dredging operations in Palk Bay stretch, he mentioned that DCI engaged a survey launch m.v. TAURUS of M/s. Geo Star Surveys India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, for conducting a seabed survey from 04.04.08 to ascertain the depth of the channel in this 54 km stretch where at present six Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers are at work viz.
..2..
DCI DR – XVI
DR – TRILOKI PREM
DR – PACIFIQUE
DR. BANWARI PREM
DR. DARYAMANTHAN
PROF. GORJUNOV
The initial report for the stretch of 54 km above that as against the planned channel depth of – 12 mtrs Chart Datum and 300 m width, the depths are varying from – 10 mtrs to – 11 mtrs with an average of 10.73 mtrs for the initial 18 kms stretch. For the remaining 36 km of Palk Bay portion the depth varies from – 10.75 mtrs to – 11.30 mtrs from Chart Datum. This indicates that the dredging has been successfully carried out by DCI and the percentage in respect of depth achieved averages around 93%. Hence it will be possible for a vessel with 10M draft requirement to navigate from Chennai upto the coast of Rameswaram.
http://sethusamudram.gov.in/ProjectStatus_old_files/SSCP%20WORK%20PROGRESSING%20WELL%20AT%20PALK%20BAY%20-%2010.73M.doc
DMK to take agitational path for Sethu project
Chennai, June 02: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK President M Karunanidhi today said the party would organise a massive agitation, even if it meant losing power, for the implementation of Sethusamudram Shipping Channel project (SSCP).
''We should all prepare for a massive agitation, whether it means being in power or losing power, to get the Sethusamudram project implemented,'' the DMK patriarch exhorted partymen, while addressing the party's General Council meeting here.
The DMK would announce the date and mode of agitation at an appropriate time, party sources said.
Mr Karunanidhi said gone were the days when Tamil Nadu was blessed with land and water resources. The State had lost its prosperity after neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka refused water to the State.
In this backdrop, only the SSCP would bring prosperity to Tamil Nadu, the DMK leader, who was intrumental in prevailing upon the Centre to implement the project, said.
In his anxiety to implement the project, he had even offered to name the project after Lord Ram as he thought the interest of Tamils were greater than the Lord.
A resolution adopted at the General Council, the highest policy making body of the party, also appealed to the Centre to implement the project, without any delay, respecting the sentiments of Mr Karunanidhi, who had offered to name the project after Lord Ram. –
Agencies
http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7B8C7C4D0A-2757-4AE7-809A-6789737F2F7E%7D&CATEGORYNAME=CHN
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Setu-Ram ! Scrap the Setu project. Enshrine Ramayana...
Setu-Ram ! Scrap the Setu project. Enshrine Ramayana in peoples’ hearts and celebrate coastal people with Marine Economic Zones.
This note is about three events.
1. Ramayana Exhibition at the British Library
2. Release of a book titled, ‘Ramayana – around the world – a living legend’ by Ravi Kumar
3. MuKa’s birthday poem of self-eulogy but lamenting on Setu project and naming Setu-Ram !
I will talk about the book published on May 30, 2008. Publisher: Bharatiya Itihas Sankalana Samiti, Kokan Prant, Mumbai. Price Rs. 100. This book should be translated into all languages of the world and adorn the library of every child.
The Table of Contents:
The Timeless Tale
The universal relevance of Ramayan
Ramayan scriptures in South East Asian languages
Ramayana in the West
Ramayana in Islamic Countries
Ramayana in Indonesia: Islam is our religion but Ramayana is our culture
Indonesia Ramayan presented in open air theatres
Ramayan in Malaysia: we rule in the name of Ram’s Paduka
Ramayan among the Muslims of Philippines
Persian and Arabic Ramayan
The borderless appeal of Ramayan
Influence of Ramayan in Asia Countries
Influence of Ramayan in Cambodia
Influence of Ramayan in Thailand
Ramayana the National Epic of Thailand
Influence of Ramayan in Burma
Influence of Ramayan in Laos
Weyang Kulit or South East Asian Puppet shows
Ramayan in Vietnam
Sino Ramayana
Ramayan in Japan
Award winning animated Ramayan
Japanese interest in Ramayan
Ramayan in Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, Siberia
Sri Lanka and Nepal
Ramayan in Bharat
Indian contemporary versions
Ramayana landmarks
The popularity of Ramayana
Rama Nawami celebrations of People of Indian origin
International Ramayana Conferences
Epi Expressions
Modern Ram Setus
Annexures
1. Important Ramayan Names depending on foreign versions
2. Lord Ram did exist
3. Why Lord Ram will not appear now
4. Diwali festival around the world
5. Significance of Easster to Hindus
6. Pre-Christian origin of Christmas and Easter
7. Anecdotes on Ramayan from Panchamritam
8. Ramayan in computer language
9. Ramayan in Sri Lanka
The Ramayana Exhibition at the British Library
(16 May-14 September 2008)
In ancient India sage Valmiki told the story of prince Rama in the epic Ramayana in Sanskrit, consisting of 24000 verses. Traditionally Hindus believe that Lord Rama lived in Treta Yuga, one of the four Yugas (aeons) namely Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali.
The Ramayana exhibition was formally opened on Thursday 15 May 2008 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar the Maharana of Udaipur. The Mewar Maharana family dynasty is over 1200 years old.
The Ramayana was a favourite subject for Rajsthani painters of 17th century. Illustrated Ramayana manuscripts were prepared between 1649-1653 for Rana Jagat Singh of Mewar in his court studio at Udaipur. Maharana Bhim Singh presented the manuscripts to Colonel James Tod, author of Annals and Antiquities of Rajsthan in 1820. The British Museum Library acquired the manuscripts in 1844.
click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge
The exhibition covers the story of prince Rama in 12 episodes starting from his boyhood, marriage, exile, search for his lost wife princess Sita, concluding with her recovery following the slaying of the demon king Ravana.
In the autumn of 2007 I was delighted to learn from the British Library that a Ramayana exhibition was planned for May - September 2008, thanks to the Chairman Sir Colin Lucas, his team and especially Jerry Losty, curator of the British Library and former head of Prints, Drawings and Photographs also at the British Library.
The exhibition is well worth a visit.
Dr Rishi Agarwal
Representative - Hindu Heritage
Hindu Council UK
Note : Hindu Council UK (HCUK) is the foremost and largest national network of the Hindu temple bodies and cultural organisations co-ordinating all different schools of Hindu theology within the UK. HCUK is the representative umbrella body for the British Hindu issues for which a UK wide mandate was received during a two year consultation with the British Hindu public culminating in its launch in November 1994.
HCUK Admin Office:Boardman House, 64 The Broadway, London E15 1NG. T: 020 8432 0400 W: www.hinducounciluk.org F: 020 8432 0393
Mu. Karunanidhi’s birthday poem of self-eulogy (translated from Tamil) for his 85th birthday on 3 June 2008.
Made me a old-man reminding me that I am 85
But at the age of 8 plus 5, thirteen,
I pushed down the "Vedism" warning, "be at a distance, don't touch"!
There is no bar for becoming "Archaka" in temples
Enacted accordingly to act in the sanctum sanctorum of temples
For Periyar, it took 60 years to bring out such ideology, but
I implemented it as a service to him!
Not only for Dravidian bigwigs,
Even for common people daily we implement
What we swore as electioneering promises!
But still, I have one worry
My heart throbs as the dream of Kamaraj could not be fulfilled.
To fulfill that dream only,
we go on implement plans one by one targeting it.
Sethu-samutharam has been one of such wonderful dream-projects.
Lushness to dance in the land of chaste Tamil
Benefits accrue by the increase of trade
We do not have any other way!
Sethu-samuthram has been our historical necessity!
Without preventing it with trickery
Respecting my trembling voice,
As I worked for this land, language during my lifetime,
Instead of killing the project by telling the name of Ram,
I appeal on the day my birth as a message:
If you want name it "Sethu-Ram", do it!
This is my birth-day message for the country –
to live without any love or hate and for removal of fragility.
This note is about three events.
1. Ramayana Exhibition at the British Library
2. Release of a book titled, ‘Ramayana – around the world – a living legend’ by Ravi Kumar
3. MuKa’s birthday poem of self-eulogy but lamenting on Setu project and naming Setu-Ram !
I will talk about the book published on May 30, 2008. Publisher: Bharatiya Itihas Sankalana Samiti, Kokan Prant, Mumbai. Price Rs. 100. This book should be translated into all languages of the world and adorn the library of every child.
The Table of Contents:
The Timeless Tale
The universal relevance of Ramayan
Ramayan scriptures in South East Asian languages
Ramayana in the West
Ramayana in Islamic Countries
Ramayana in Indonesia: Islam is our religion but Ramayana is our culture
Indonesia Ramayan presented in open air theatres
Ramayan in Malaysia: we rule in the name of Ram’s Paduka
Ramayan among the Muslims of Philippines
Persian and Arabic Ramayan
The borderless appeal of Ramayan
Influence of Ramayan in Asia Countries
Influence of Ramayan in Cambodia
Influence of Ramayan in Thailand
Ramayana the National Epic of Thailand
Influence of Ramayan in Burma
Influence of Ramayan in Laos
Weyang Kulit or South East Asian Puppet shows
Ramayan in Vietnam
Sino Ramayana
Ramayan in Japan
Award winning animated Ramayan
Japanese interest in Ramayan
Ramayan in Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, Siberia
Sri Lanka and Nepal
Ramayan in Bharat
Indian contemporary versions
Ramayana landmarks
The popularity of Ramayana
Rama Nawami celebrations of People of Indian origin
International Ramayana Conferences
Epi Expressions
Modern Ram Setus
Annexures
1. Important Ramayan Names depending on foreign versions
2. Lord Ram did exist
3. Why Lord Ram will not appear now
4. Diwali festival around the world
5. Significance of Easster to Hindus
6. Pre-Christian origin of Christmas and Easter
7. Anecdotes on Ramayan from Panchamritam
8. Ramayan in computer language
9. Ramayan in Sri Lanka
The Ramayana Exhibition at the British Library
(16 May-14 September 2008)
In ancient India sage Valmiki told the story of prince Rama in the epic Ramayana in Sanskrit, consisting of 24000 verses. Traditionally Hindus believe that Lord Rama lived in Treta Yuga, one of the four Yugas (aeons) namely Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali.
The Ramayana exhibition was formally opened on Thursday 15 May 2008 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar the Maharana of Udaipur. The Mewar Maharana family dynasty is over 1200 years old.
The Ramayana was a favourite subject for Rajsthani painters of 17th century. Illustrated Ramayana manuscripts were prepared between 1649-1653 for Rana Jagat Singh of Mewar in his court studio at Udaipur. Maharana Bhim Singh presented the manuscripts to Colonel James Tod, author of Annals and Antiquities of Rajsthan in 1820. The British Museum Library acquired the manuscripts in 1844.
click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge
The exhibition covers the story of prince Rama in 12 episodes starting from his boyhood, marriage, exile, search for his lost wife princess Sita, concluding with her recovery following the slaying of the demon king Ravana.
In the autumn of 2007 I was delighted to learn from the British Library that a Ramayana exhibition was planned for May - September 2008, thanks to the Chairman Sir Colin Lucas, his team and especially Jerry Losty, curator of the British Library and former head of Prints, Drawings and Photographs also at the British Library.
The exhibition is well worth a visit.
Dr Rishi Agarwal
Representative - Hindu Heritage
Hindu Council UK
Note : Hindu Council UK (HCUK) is the foremost and largest national network of the Hindu temple bodies and cultural organisations co-ordinating all different schools of Hindu theology within the UK. HCUK is the representative umbrella body for the British Hindu issues for which a UK wide mandate was received during a two year consultation with the British Hindu public culminating in its launch in November 1994.
HCUK Admin Office:Boardman House, 64 The Broadway, London E15 1NG. T: 020 8432 0400 W: www.hinducounciluk.org F: 020 8432 0393
Mu. Karunanidhi’s birthday poem of self-eulogy (translated from Tamil) for his 85th birthday on 3 June 2008.
Made me a old-man reminding me that I am 85
But at the age of 8 plus 5, thirteen,
I pushed down the "Vedism" warning, "be at a distance, don't touch"!
There is no bar for becoming "Archaka" in temples
Enacted accordingly to act in the sanctum sanctorum of temples
For Periyar, it took 60 years to bring out such ideology, but
I implemented it as a service to him!
Not only for Dravidian bigwigs,
Even for common people daily we implement
What we swore as electioneering promises!
But still, I have one worry
My heart throbs as the dream of Kamaraj could not be fulfilled.
To fulfill that dream only,
we go on implement plans one by one targeting it.
Sethu-samutharam has been one of such wonderful dream-projects.
Lushness to dance in the land of chaste Tamil
Benefits accrue by the increase of trade
We do not have any other way!
Sethu-samuthram has been our historical necessity!
Without preventing it with trickery
Respecting my trembling voice,
As I worked for this land, language during my lifetime,
Instead of killing the project by telling the name of Ram,
I appeal on the day my birth as a message:
If you want name it "Sethu-Ram", do it!
This is my birth-day message for the country –
to live without any love or hate and for removal of fragility.
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