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

Mon Sep 17 22:30:48 IST 2007

For me

1. Sethu Samudram is a matter of faith.
2. I care about Ecology , more so when fiddling with it causes discomfort to
faith of billions.

I do not care for about BJP or VHP , as long as I do not need their support
to strengthen my cause. And in this project if they do something which halts
the project , i dont mind.

It does not mean I am necessarily going to vote for them.

Any more candid answer needed from me ?

Pawan

On 9/17/07, Shivam Vij <mail at shivamvij.com> wrote:
>
> I do, Shuddha. Don't you, Pawan? The BJP-VHP-RSS joint family can't
> appropriate ecological concerns when it comes to Sethusundaram, and refuse
> to answer them when it comes to the Hindu Bomb. Surely Pawan, you condemn
> such hypocrisy?
> best
> shivam
>
>  On 9/17/07, Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:
>
> > 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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> > >>>
> > >>>_________________________________________
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> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > > _________________________________________
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>
>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Shivam Vij
> 9871845627
> www.shivamvij.com
> mail at shivamvij.com
>
> Correspondent, Tehelka
> M-76, 2nd Floor, M-Block Market
> Greater Kailash II, New Delhi 110048
> Tel/Fax: 91-11-41638750-55
> www.tehelka.com
> shivam at tehelka.com