Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Sethusamudram a threat, claim Lankan environmentalists
By Damitha Hemachandra
Environmentalists rejected the recent statement by Jaffna University Geographer Dr. Soosai Anandan and claimed that the the proposed Sethusamudram project would jeopardise the environment of the Jaffna Peninsula and the future of the Mannar Oceanic National Park.
Dr. Anandan speaking in defence of the proposed Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project said the project would be a boon, rather than a bane for the war-shattered economy of Jaffna.
Speaking further Dr. Anandan said that fears that the digging of the channel will lead to an increase in the water flow and eroding and submerging large parts of the western Jaffna coastline, were unfounded.
Dr. Anandan alleged that the proposed channel was too far away from the Jaffna coastline for changes in the water flow to have a significant impact on the coast, adding that the water flow would only be affected within one kilometre from the channel.
However Lanka Hydraulic Institute's (LHI) Hydraulic Engineer Dr. Malith Mendis thinks otherwise.
He pointed out that no one was in a position to accurately predict the changes to the water cycle in the Jaffna peninsula and its environs since there had been no study done on the subject.
"We have suggested the postponement of the project until serious investigations were done to study the water cycle and soil structure of the peninsula," he said.
Dr. Anandan had said that increased shipping through the Palk Strait would be a boost to minor ports on the Tamil Nadu and Jaffna coasts and had added that the presently undeveloped ports at Kayts, Talaimannar, Kankesanthurai and Point Pedro would get a chance to be developed.
Dr. Anandan also suggested that the project should be implemented only after the Tamil areas of the Sri Lankan North East acquired autonomy, adding that “It is only when the Tamils here have an autonomous administrative system that they will be free to develop the Jaffna peninsula and the ports here”.
These comments from Dr. Anandan came after DMK leader Karunanidhi's plea to the Sri Lankan Tamils "to lead a collective campaign to defeat the attempts by the Sinhalese to stop the Sethusamudram project, which would bring economic development to Tamil Nadu and Jaffna and would reduce business in Colombo and the proposed Hambantota ports".
However Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said the implementation of the project would not affect the operation of the Colombo port.
The Rs. 50 billion SSCP project, which involves the development of a navigable channel from the Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal through the Palk bay, has been claimed by environmentalists as a threat to the fragile coastline of the Gulf of Mannar and the sensitive water balance of the Jaffna penninsula.
Environmentalists rejected the recent statement by Jaffna University Geographer Dr. Soosai Anandan and claimed that the the proposed Sethusamudram project would jeopardise the environment of the Jaffna Peninsula and the future of the Mannar Oceanic National Park.
Dr. Anandan speaking in defence of the proposed Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project said the project would be a boon, rather than a bane for the war-shattered economy of Jaffna.
Speaking further Dr. Anandan said that fears that the digging of the channel will lead to an increase in the water flow and eroding and submerging large parts of the western Jaffna coastline, were unfounded.
Dr. Anandan alleged that the proposed channel was too far away from the Jaffna coastline for changes in the water flow to have a significant impact on the coast, adding that the water flow would only be affected within one kilometre from the channel.
However Lanka Hydraulic Institute's (LHI) Hydraulic Engineer Dr. Malith Mendis thinks otherwise.
He pointed out that no one was in a position to accurately predict the changes to the water cycle in the Jaffna peninsula and its environs since there had been no study done on the subject.
"We have suggested the postponement of the project until serious investigations were done to study the water cycle and soil structure of the peninsula," he said.
Dr. Anandan had said that increased shipping through the Palk Strait would be a boost to minor ports on the Tamil Nadu and Jaffna coasts and had added that the presently undeveloped ports at Kayts, Talaimannar, Kankesanthurai and Point Pedro would get a chance to be developed.
Dr. Anandan also suggested that the project should be implemented only after the Tamil areas of the Sri Lankan North East acquired autonomy, adding that “It is only when the Tamils here have an autonomous administrative system that they will be free to develop the Jaffna peninsula and the ports here”.
These comments from Dr. Anandan came after DMK leader Karunanidhi's plea to the Sri Lankan Tamils "to lead a collective campaign to defeat the attempts by the Sinhalese to stop the Sethusamudram project, which would bring economic development to Tamil Nadu and Jaffna and would reduce business in Colombo and the proposed Hambantota ports".
However Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said the implementation of the project would not affect the operation of the Colombo port.
The Rs. 50 billion SSCP project, which involves the development of a navigable channel from the Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal through the Palk bay, has been claimed by environmentalists as a threat to the fragile coastline of the Gulf of Mannar and the sensitive water balance of the Jaffna penninsula.
