Ram Setu Dispute
Emotional clashes are on and it seems that once again country will face the problem of confusion over the do or don't. Yes, I am talking about the "Ram Setu" dispute; all this came in the existence with the oath pa
per of IAS [Indian Archeological survey] on behalf of central Government in the court and had produced much turmoil for the communal harmony of the country. Before going further into the matter it will good to know "What Ram Setu is?
In the south east India at Rameshwaram, there is about 50 km long lime stone bridge shaped structure which is connecting this piece of land with the Gulf of Mannar SriLanka. This is Ram Setu, as according to Puranas this the bridge constructed by Lord Ram to cross the sea and go to Lanka for releasing, kidnapped Sita ji. NASA is recognizing this bridge as the Adam's Bridge. It is faiths that till the 15th century people were using this bridge but as now, due to some geographical changes sea depth at this place is increased hence the bridge is underwater now and not in use.
Set Samudaram canal project
As at present Tamilnadu bounds ships from Kerala has to go by making a round through the Srilanka, which is adding 30 hours of time and about 650 km of distance to journey, hence in the 2005 central government announced "Setu Samudaram Canal Project" to save this time and distance. According to plans this will make Rameshwaram the biggest shipping harbor of the country, Tuticoran harbor will convert into a Nodal Port and coastal area of Tamilnadu will have as many as thirteen new airports. Surely this is a great greed for the developing country like India, as it will add a lot to economy and infra structure availability of the country.
According to Dr Badrinarayanan former director of the Geological Survey of India "It is not a natural formation; the top portion of it appears to be a man-made structure. To understand what I am saying from the geological point of view, you have to get to know several things. What is known as Adam's Bridge is originally a natural grade divide separating the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean to the south. So, the geological aspects are different on either side. About 18,000 years ago, we had Ice age when the sea level was lower by 130 metres than what it is now. Due to de-glaciations, the sea level rose. Around 7,300 years back, there was major flooding and the sea level rose to 4 metres more than what it is today. This has been verified by several researchers throughout the world. But the bridge that connects India and Sri Lanka is different; it is not just a sand dune."
Now look at the statement of oceanographer Prof Tad S Murty of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa in Canada, who is a world renowned expert on tsunamis, with reference to December 2004 tsunami and present canal project "In the December 2004 tsunami, the very southern part of Kerala was not significantly impacted by the tsunami mainly for the following reason. Some of the tsunami energy propagated south of Sri Lanka and a part of it diffracted north and affected the middle part of Kerala. Tsunami, being a long gravity wave, somewhat similar to tides and storm surges, can only take a wide turn, and in this process, missed the very southern part of Kerala. An analogy is like a car making a turn; a long car can only take a wide turn, while a short car can make a narrow turn. The middle and northern parts of Kerala were also impacted to a certain degree by tsunami waves reflected from the Lakshadweep-Maldives Ridge as well as from the east coast of Africa. Whatever may be the reason; significant tsunami energy did not propagate through the waters separating India and Sri Lanka during the December 2004 event and did not impact much the southern part of Kerala. Deepening and widening the Sethu canal will provide a more direct route for some of the tsunami energy to travel and impact southern Kerala."
All was going as per the plans and most of the Indians were not aware of the fact this project will demolish some parts of Ram Setu but when IAS submitted affidavit in the court that there are no historical evidence for the existence of Ram or Ramayan [though Government after wards withdraw it], all of sudden a layer of anger and aguish got the surface and once again the faith of billions and technological advancement got a clash. At present the two parties of dispute are billions of Indians primarily lead by "Sangh Parivar" opposing the project as it will destroy a pre-historic land link between the two nations that was erected by Lord Ram and his Vanara Sena and Government of India, for this issue being lead by Shipping Minister T R Baalu, say the project will cut down shipping time drastically, leading to major savings in fuel etc.
I do not agree with the view of opposition that government should resign on this issue but I wish to raise yet another issue. Keep apart the economic boost and addition to infrastructure facilities of the country. Can't government drop the idea and go for alternative ways for respecting billions of citizens? I have heard it some many times while the proceedings of Lok Sabha speakers says that though this is not a rule but following the traditions of the house I am giving this ruling? Keep apart the historical evidence about Ram and Ramayana; any body, in the world can dare to deny that Lord Ram is a traditional faith of billions of Indians since so many centuries? My question is that when government is following a tradition of few years of democracy practice, why the same government is trying to neglect traditional faith of centuries of the billions of citizens? Will it not be joke, for achieving progress traditional faith of billions and billions is forced to go to graveyards? The matter is in the court, it will be interesting to know the judiciary ruling and the stand of government of India in this matter.
My related other blog posting
Rootless Indians
Emotional clashes are on and it seems that once again country will face the problem of confusion over the do or don't. Yes, I am talking about the "Ram Setu" dispute; all this came in the existence with the oath pa
per of IAS [Indian Archeological survey] on behalf of central Government in the court and had produced much turmoil for the communal harmony of the country. Before going further into the matter it will good to know "What Ram Setu is?In the south east India at Rameshwaram, there is about 50 km long lime stone bridge shaped structure which is connecting this piece of land with the Gulf of Mannar SriLanka. This is Ram Setu, as according to Puranas this the bridge constructed by Lord Ram to cross the sea and go to Lanka for releasing, kidnapped Sita ji. NASA is recognizing this bridge as the Adam's Bridge. It is faiths that till the 15th century people were using this bridge but as now, due to some geographical changes sea depth at this place is increased hence the bridge is underwater now and not in use.
Set Samudaram canal project
As at present Tamilnadu bounds ships from Kerala has to go by making a round through the Srilanka, which is adding 30 hours of time and about 650 km of distance to journey, hence in the 2005 central government announced "Setu Samudaram Canal Project" to save this time and distance. According to plans this will make Rameshwaram the biggest shipping harbor of the country, Tuticoran harbor will convert into a Nodal Port and coastal area of Tamilnadu will have as many as thirteen new airports. Surely this is a great greed for the developing country like India, as it will add a lot to economy and infra structure availability of the country.
According to Dr Badrinarayanan former director of the Geological Survey of India "It is not a natural formation; the top portion of it appears to be a man-made structure. To understand what I am saying from the geological point of view, you have to get to know several things. What is known as Adam's Bridge is originally a natural grade divide separating the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean to the south. So, the geological aspects are different on either side. About 18,000 years ago, we had Ice age when the sea level was lower by 130 metres than what it is now. Due to de-glaciations, the sea level rose. Around 7,300 years back, there was major flooding and the sea level rose to 4 metres more than what it is today. This has been verified by several researchers throughout the world. But the bridge that connects India and Sri Lanka is different; it is not just a sand dune."
Now look at the statement of oceanographer Prof Tad S Murty of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa in Canada, who is a world renowned expert on tsunamis, with reference to December 2004 tsunami and present canal project "In the December 2004 tsunami, the very southern part of Kerala was not significantly impacted by the tsunami mainly for the following reason. Some of the tsunami energy propagated south of Sri Lanka and a part of it diffracted north and affected the middle part of Kerala. Tsunami, being a long gravity wave, somewhat similar to tides and storm surges, can only take a wide turn, and in this process, missed the very southern part of Kerala. An analogy is like a car making a turn; a long car can only take a wide turn, while a short car can make a narrow turn. The middle and northern parts of Kerala were also impacted to a certain degree by tsunami waves reflected from the Lakshadweep-Maldives Ridge as well as from the east coast of Africa. Whatever may be the reason; significant tsunami energy did not propagate through the waters separating India and Sri Lanka during the December 2004 event and did not impact much the southern part of Kerala. Deepening and widening the Sethu canal will provide a more direct route for some of the tsunami energy to travel and impact southern Kerala."
All was going as per the plans and most of the Indians were not aware of the fact this project will demolish some parts of Ram Setu but when IAS submitted affidavit in the court that there are no historical evidence for the existence of Ram or Ramayan [though Government after wards withdraw it], all of sudden a layer of anger and aguish got the surface and once again the faith of billions and technological advancement got a clash. At present the two parties of dispute are billions of Indians primarily lead by "Sangh Parivar" opposing the project as it will destroy a pre-historic land link between the two nations that was erected by Lord Ram and his Vanara Sena and Government of India, for this issue being lead by Shipping Minister T R Baalu, say the project will cut down shipping time drastically, leading to major savings in fuel etc.
I do not agree with the view of opposition that government should resign on this issue but I wish to raise yet another issue. Keep apart the economic boost and addition to infrastructure facilities of the country. Can't government drop the idea and go for alternative ways for respecting billions of citizens? I have heard it some many times while the proceedings of Lok Sabha speakers says that though this is not a rule but following the traditions of the house I am giving this ruling? Keep apart the historical evidence about Ram and Ramayana; any body, in the world can dare to deny that Lord Ram is a traditional faith of billions of Indians since so many centuries? My question is that when government is following a tradition of few years of democracy practice, why the same government is trying to neglect traditional faith of centuries of the billions of citizens? Will it not be joke, for achieving progress traditional faith of billions and billions is forced to go to graveyards? The matter is in the court, it will be interesting to know the judiciary ruling and the stand of government of India in this matter.
My related other blog posting
Rootless Indians
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