PROTECT RAMSETHU AND SAVE LIVELIHOOD OF TAMILNADU AND KERALA COASTAL FISHERMEN

PROTECT RAMSETHU AND SAVE LIVELIHOOD OF TAMILNADU AND KERALA COASTAL FISHERMEN

Rama Sethu is an ancient monument of national and international importance, a monument of pristine glory of sacredness at the confluence of our holy motherland with life-giving waters of the Indian ocean currents. It is breathtaking geophysical reality a metaphor of a Civilisation enshrining good triumphing over evil.

Lakhs of fisherman all over Tamilnadu and Kerala are concerned over the avoidable destruction of the age old under sea bridge popularly known as RAMAR PALAM due to the implementation of the Setusamudram Channel project near Rameshwaram, entailing the demolition of a part of the Ramar Bridge (Ramsetu).

Many historical evidences are available to show that the bridge was called as Ramasethu. However it was later renamed a Adam's bridge. This is motivated action by colonial and imperialist administrators.

We believe that this under water wonder is the bridge constructed by Lord Shrirama with the help of wanaras during his campaign against Ravana, the then kind of Srilanka.

The satellite images released by NASA a couple of years ago confirmed that there indeed exist a bridge like construction in the seabed, thus fortifying the belief of a billion strong Indians. The Ramasethu is representative of Bharat's ancient and most highly revered civilisational history, and a cherished symbol ancient heritage.

Further, it is now proved that Ramasethu had acted as a "High wall" at the time of Tsunami, and in fact saved most of coastline west and northwest Dhanushkodi from devastation. It the Sethusamudram channel is dug through the bridge, then the devastation will be of unimaginable magnitude in case of another Tsunami.

Sir A R Mudliar committee report 1956 clearly stated that any idea of cutting the channel through Ramasethu should be abandoned because of the problems of maintaining a mid-ocean channel and the turbulence of the Indian ocean waters. Tsunami protection measures should be made an integral part of the project to prevent the devastation of Tamilnadu and Kerala coastline and destruction of Thorium and Titanium resource of Manmavalakuruchi, Kollam and Chavara. In case of another Tsunami caused by recurrent earthquakes in the Indian ocean region.

The demolition of Ramasethu will also cause enormous damage to the flora and fauna. The region of the Palk Straight and Manargulf has coral reefs with some of the richest bio-diversity and is the home of about 400 endangered marine species including turtles, dolphins and many variety of fish, all these will be destroyed and lakhs of fishermen will be deprived of their livelihood if the present form of Sethu samudram channel project is implemented.

The 112th All India Executive Committee of BMS met on 16th, 17th and 18th August, 2007 at Nagpur strongly condemn the proposal of "Sethu Samudram Channel Project" by breaking the 1775000 years old historic monument and demand the Government of India to make the project by any other alternative route or alignment without demolishing the Ramasethu. The Executive Committee also demand to the Government of India to declare the RAMASETHU AS AN ANCIENT HERITAGE MONUMENT.

The Executive Committee further directs the crore strong members of BMS to whole heartedly participate in Nation-wide Campaign to save Ramasethu and protect poor fishermen.