Sethusamudram - call for Indo-Lanka assessment

by Chandani Jayatilleke

SSCP is supposed to be India's dream of 144 years. Commander A D Taylor from Indian Marine planned this SSCP project in 1860. In 1952 Sir A Ramasamy [Mudaliar] submitted a proposal and major feasibility report.

As per the present plan, the total length of SSCP would be about 260 km - about 120 km from Tuticorin Port to Adam's Bridge (in Gulf of Mannar), and about 140 km north of Rameswaram from Adam's Bridge to Bay of Bengal channel (in Palk Bay). Overall GOM and Palk Strait [PS] cover an area of 10,500 kms.

The canal is being investigated for different drafts (for 9.15 m, 10.7 m and 12.8 m). In general, the canal will have a depth of 12 metres enabling 10,000 to 12,000 GRT vessels to pass through. The Government of India is proposing to dredge a width of 300 meter through 44 nautical miles long stretch. It is estimated that 32.5 million cubic meter sand will be dredged in the Adam's bridge area and around 52 million cubic meters in Palk Strait. (Source: Manitham)

Sri Lanka and India should carry out a joint environmental assessment on the proposed Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP) to assess potential negative implications on Sri Lanka's environment and the livelihoods of her people, a group of environmentalists and fishing community representatives said last week.

This need was widely discussed at a workshop among the representatives of various groups who are believed to be affected by the SSCP at the BMICH last week. It was organised by the Intermediate Technology Development Group - an NGO promoting small technologies among the rural population.

Sri Lanka has so far had only two formal meetings with India on this issue and at the second meeting, Sri Lanka had been asked by India to submit technical data which could support Sri Lanka's concerns. They have indicated that future negotiations could be based on this data.

India has also told the Sri Lankan team that the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute of India has already carried out a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which did not oppose the SSCP.

The geographical location of the SSCP would be the Gulf of Mannar and the Adam's Bridge. The Gulf of Mannar is considered to be one of the world's richest marine biological resources.

Since the SSCP is a mega development project, the two countries should study whether there would be any geological, oceanographic and environmental changes, as well as any land subsidence.

Following the second meeting in India, the Sri Lankan authorities are now working in four committees - eco systems, fisheries, fisheries resources and fishing community and navigation and pollution. The institutions and individual groups could submit their proposals and views which highlight the negative implications of the project to these four committees.

"Such data is badly needed to challenge India's proposal and we need to collect this data over these three months," said Dr. Ruchira Cumaratunga of the Ruhuna University who was a member of the second Sri Lankan delegation to visit India in this connection.

She said that no survey has been done in connection with bio-diversity and marine resources in the northern and eastern seas - the areas which are believed to be negatively affected by the SSCP over the last two decades due to the conflict. Hence there are no details of the bio-diversity and ecology of Palk Bay and Mannar Bay. "Nobody wanted to invest in such a research during the war as it could have been a waste of money and time at that time," she added. However, she said, earlier reports and studies have confirmed the abundant marine resources in these areas including coral and fish resources.

There is a lot of economically important fish resources, such as prawns, crabs, lobsters, oysters, chank and sea cucumber for which there are thriving export markets.

As the project envisages extensive dredging of the sea bed, the most important ecosystem to be affected is the coral resource. The area to be dredged has a muddy surface with a layer of limestone beneath, Dr. Cumaratunga said.

She also warned that there is a danger the project could change the patterns of currents in the region, posing a threat to existing harbours which were designed, based on data of current flows.

Some of the other negative impacts include sound pollution (if explosives are used for dredging), oil spills, invasive species, climatic changes and sea erosion, she pointed out.

She added that although legal measures can be taken against the setting up of the SSCP, Sri Lanka needs to amicably settle the issue with India.

"India and Sri Lanka have maintained excellent bilateral and diplomatic relations over the past and we both depend on each other for various social, cultural and economic needs.

Therefore, we don't want to take legal action on this.

"What we should be doing is to get an environmental feasibility study as a joint collaboration," she added.

The negative impact of the SSCP is believed to be more on Sri Lanka than India. India has already planned out alternatives for their fisher folk and others who would be dislocated as a result. "They would relocate their fishermen. But, we can't relocate our people as Sri Lanka is a small country. We should try to reduce the negative impact on us," Cumaratunga said.

She also said that they have asked for the copies of the feasibility reports which were carried out by India.

The representatives of the fishing community who were present on the occasion blamed the authorities for not taking into consideration their views and opinions when it comes to decision-making and implementation.

We spoke to Jagath Gunawardena, an environment lawyer and wild life/bio-diversity enthusiast for his opinion regarding the SSCP. He said that there is no need for Sri Lanka to submit any data to the Indian Government. "But India - as the initiator of the project - should carry out a joint environmental assessment in collaboration with Sri Lankan scientists. If data is deficient, we have to collect data through various sources and if India is the sole beneficiary of this project, they should give all the relevant information to Sri Lanka," Gunawardena said.

According to India, more than 100 ornamental fish, 440 food fishes, five species of lobsters, six species of sea cucumbers and varieties of chanks live in the seas affected by the project. India has also declared 21 islands as wild life/bio diversity protected areas. These islands include Shingle, Krusadai, Pullivasal, Poomarichan, Manoliputti, Manoli, Busal, Mulli, Valai, Talairi, Appa, Poovarasanpatti, Valimunai, Anaipui, Niliathanni, Pulivinichalli, Upputhanni, Karaichalli, Vilanguchalli, Kasuvarwar and Van. Of these islands, two do not have any bio-diversity but they have been declared as protected areas.

The research already done by India presents only the Indian point of view. It does not discuss any adverse impacts it could have on Sri Lanka.

"Therefore, we need to do a joint assessment and settle the issues," he said adding that "the late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgarmar was in the process of creating a platform for negotiations with India when he was slain last Friday."