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Mr. P. Chidambaram has also held forth on the
Sethusamudram Project stating that the Government of Tamil Nadu has not extended
support for the project and this is the reason for the delay in executing the
project. This kind of wild allegation is unbecoming of a responsible Union
Minister. Has not Mr. P. Chidambaram read the news reports indicating the
serious environmental concerns raised by the Prime Minister's Office on this
project? Further, media reports indicate that neither the Ministry of Shipping,
Road Transport and Highways, nor the Ministry of Environment and Forests in the
Union Government have responded to the reported note of the Prime Minister's
Office. When this is the state of confusion relating to the Project in the Union
Government and one is left wondering as to who is really in control at the
Centre, why is Mr. P. Chidambaram making a vain attempt to shift the blame to
the Government of Tamil Nadu?
Environmental concerns
I have personally argued the need for implementing the Sethusamudram Canal
Project in my speeches in the Rajya Sabha in 1984 and 1986. My Government has
consistently demanded the early implementation of this project. Even in the
Memorandum I presented to the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 16.9.2004, I have
stressed the need to take up this project early. When this is the history of the
efforts taken by my Government for this project, it is quite shocking to see the
crude attempt made by Mr. P. Chidambaram to make political capital, alleging
delay by the Government of Tamil Nadu on the time being taken to address all
environmental concerns relating to this Project. While there are absolutely no
two opinions about the stand of the Government of Tamil Nadu that the
Sethusamudram Canal Project should be implemented, at the same time it is
equally important that all the environmental concerns are addressed properly and
due safeguards are provided for after careful study.
It is elementary that in a large project disturbing the seafloor, there has to
be complete and careful examination of all aspects which could cause damage to
the environment. Only after this detailed examination and after setting out the
safeguards to be provided, can the Project be implemented. Instead of addressing
all the concerns in a cohesive and cogent manner, all kinds of measures
including strong-arming the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board by issue of a
contempt of Court notice and a show-cause notice are being resorted to. This is
reprehensible. Never have we seen a Government, which should take steps to
protect the environment, show such unseemly haste in rushing the project through
without even addressing the genuine concerns expressed by fishermen and
environmentalists.
Experts committee
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has constituted an Expert Committee to
address all the environmental issues relating to the project before it makes
recommendations to the State Government on furnishing the No Objection
Certificate. The Expert Committee is engaged in this task. Is it proper for
Union Ministers including Mr. P. Chidambaram to make irresponsible statements
concerning the assessment and evaluation of the environmental risks associated
with the Project?
No one can object to such an evaluation as this alone will guarantee the
long-term success of the project. Failure to do so could result in serious
consequences which cannot even be imagined today. It is to safeguard against
such disastrous consequences that a thorough assessment at this stage is a must.
Anyone who has any knowledge about project implementation would vouchsafe the
fact that embarking on a large project with definite environmental risks is
dangerous without a detailed study and effective conclusions on mitigation of
the likely environmental impact.
Disastrous consequences
It is most unfortunate that all caution is being thrown to the winds in a cheap
attempt to get popularity by Mr. P. Chidambaram and his cohorts merely to
project an image as though they have brought this project to fruition. It is not
at all necessary for Mr. P. Chidambaram to comment on the role of the Government
of Tamil Nadu in this matter, as it is the Prime Minister's Office which has
reportedly raised serious environmental issues relating to the Project and has
reportedly enjoined both the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of
India, and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to put the clearances on hold
until there is a proper evaluation of this specific issue. The Prime Minister's
Office has reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the environment impact
assessment and the technical feasibility report prepared by NEERI (National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute) which have ignored various
aspects, and warned that going ahead with the construction of this Mega Project
without collecting information on the above aspects could lead to major
economic, technical and human problems in future that could border on a
disaster.
The deafening silence by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Ministry
of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, to this note from the Prime Minister's
Office expressing concern over the haste and the inadequacy of the assessment is
indeed shocking.
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