[Reader-list] Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project - Blueprint for an ecological disaster

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Dear Pawan,

Thank you for your appreciation of my concern. Since I do not share your 
faith, I cannot take that into consideration in my assessment of the 
Sethusamudran Project. But since I do share your ecological, 
developmental and financial concerns, I fully agree with you that the 
Sethusamudran Project is going to be a disaster.

Now since you share my ecological, financial and developmental concerns 
(and whether or not you do share my attitude to questions of faith, on 
which we can agree to disagree) I do hope you will share in my 
condemnation of the Nuclear Tests in Pokhran, the military occupation of 
the Siachen glacier, the Narmada Dam and the 'canalization' plan 
proposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party as an alternative to the 
Sethusamduran Project. Because these are  and have been all ecological, 
developmental and financial disasters.

You do, don't you?

regards

Shuddha (not Gargi)


Pawan Durani wrote:

> Shuddha ,
> 
> Thank you for your concern on Sethu Samudram , besides ecological disaster
> it is a matter of faith as well.
> 
> Even the developemnt is not going to be of major use, its a financial
> disaster.
> 
> Pawan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 9/17/07, Partha Dasgupta <parthaekka at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>>Hi,
>>
>>As an aside, had an offline chat with Pawan when he mentioned that he
>>plans to plant a 1000 trees - something so simple yet so important that I
>>didn't even remember it.
>>
>>The basics are simple steps we can take that will make a difference in the
>>long run. And yes, I do agree that our shattered environment (including the
>>Sethusamudram project) needs a serious rethink as to where the ecology is
>>going.
>>
>>Rgds, Partha
>>..................
>>
>> On 9/17/07, Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Dear All,
>>>
>>>This is one of the rare occasions where I think I am in near total
>>>agreement with Pawan Durani. So, I thought I would break my silence.
>>>Thank you Pawan for the links that you have sent.
>>>
>>>I think that the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project is indeed a blueprint
>>>for the unfolding of a human tragedy and an ecological disaster. And I
>>>think it ranks along with the Narmada Dam Project as a plan that is
>>>deeply inimical to the interests and livelihoods of the people who will
>>>be affected by it most, namely local fisher folk (for whom the region is
>>>an age old natural fishing commons).
>>>
>>>I see no reason why ancient fishing practices and the delicate natural
>>>ecology of the region should have to be disrupted just so that
>>>Capitalism (in the form of ships carrying containers) and the Indian
>>>Navy's ships can gain a few hours while crossing from the west to the
>>>east coast of India. If for all these centures, ships have had to round
>>>the southern tip of Sri Lanka to move from the Arabian sea to the Bay of
>>>Bengal, and traverse the waters of the Indian Ocean region, I do not see
>>>  why then the  livelihoods of the inhabitants of the region have to be
>>>  suddenly sacrified for them to be able to move faster.I see absolutely
>>>nothing wrong in insisting that the ships take the same time that they
>>>have always taken?
>>>
>>>However, I have also watched worthies from the Bharatiya Janata Party,
>>>especially, Shri Murli Manohar Joshi, present their 'alternative'
>>>project for the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project over the last few days
>>>on television - which is to cut a canal through the southern tip of the
>>>Deccan peninsula. And I think that proposal is just as much of a
>>>potential human and ecological disaster as  the disruption of the
>>>Sethusamudram region. So the new found 'greening' of the BJP, needs to
>>>be understood for what it is. Yet another recipe for the displacement of
>>>people and the violent disruption of the landscape, on the same scale as
>>>Sardar Sarovar project and the proposed scheme to link rivers that was
>>>the pet project of the esteeemed erstwhile president of the Indian
>>>republic.
>>>
>>>I would like to point readers on the list to consider the tragic
>>>histories of Panama (a state, now a narco-republic, carved out in order
>>>to dig a canal) and the Suez canal (over which at least one major
>>>military conflict - the Suez crisis of 1956 erupted. I have no doubt
>>>that The BJP's recently found enthusiasm for cutting a canal through
>>>Southern India will no doubt create  'swadeshi' versions of
>>>narco-republicanism, and aggressive military posturing a la Panama and
>>>Suez.
>>>
>>>Also, on a parting note, let us not forget the decision by successive
>>>governments, controlled by the Congress or led by the BJP, that did not
>>>have any qualms about violating the delicate ecology of the Thar desert
>>>with Nuclear explostions, or completely destroying the equally delicate
>>>Himalayan glacial environment of Siachen in the part of Jammu and
>>>Kashmir occupied by India, by stationing troops, heavy artillery and
>>>continuing what must be one of the most tragic, bizarre, violent and
>>>wasteful military engagements with landscape in the history of the
>>>modern world.
>>>
>>>So, yes let us all demand that the Sethusamudram region be left alone,
>>>let us demand that no more nuclear explosions or tests ever take place
>>>in the Thar desert or anywhere in the landmass of all of South Asia, or
>>>in the Lop Nor plateau in Tibet, and let us demand also a unilateral
>>>ceasefire and troop withdrawal from Siachen, and let us demand immediate
>>>cessation of the Sardar Saroval Project on the river Narmada and that
>>>the river linking project be abandoned. I would be absolutely willing to
>>>assent to all these demands, and while doing so, I would also demand
>>>that those who took the decisions to conduct Nuclear Tests in Pokhran in
>>>
>>>India (in 1974 and in 1998) and in the Chagai Hills in Pakistan (in
>>>1998) or on the Lop Nor plateau in Tiber offer uconditional apologies to
>>>the people of India, Pakistan and Tibet (and to all peoples in Asia) for
>>>
>>>the serious damage that these tests caused to the ecology of South and
>>>Central Asia.
>>>
>>>I sincerely hope that all of you will agree with me.
>>>
>>>regards
>>>
>>>Shuddha
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Pawan Durani wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>http://tamilinfoservice.com/manitham/environment/sscp/article/4.htm
>>>>
>>>>http://www.tamilnation.org/diaspora/tamilnadu/050404sethu.htm
>>>>
>>>>http://www.greensl.net/campaigns003.php
>>>>
>>>>http://hitxp.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/a-blunder-called-sethusamudram/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Where are all those who had been talking about ecological disaster
>>>
>>>during
>>>
>>>>Narmada Dam project ? Why are they silent ?  Where are the
>>>
>>>activists  and
>>>
>>>>the film makers ?
>>>>
>>>>I do understand their problems and the "compulsions".
>>>>
>>>>God Bless !
>>>>_________________________________________
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>>>
>>>_________________________________________
>>>reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
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>>
>>
>>
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