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India with a peninsular coast of 6580
km, has a glorious history of maritime trade with various countries
of the world since time immemorial. However, in the absence of a
continuous navigational channel connecting the East and West coasts,
the ships sailing between the East and West coasts of India and
along the International shipping routes have to circumnavigate Sri
Lanka, due to the presence of a reef, known as Adam's Bridge,
located Southeast of Rameswaram near Pamban.
To overcome this shortcoming, an
ambitious scheme Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project was first
formulated in the year 1860 to create a continuous navigational
channel around Indian coast. This project, a dream of all Indian
citizens in general and the people of Tamil Nadu in particular
remained on the drawing board for about 150 years and became a
reality only in 2005 when the Government of India accorded
approval for a viable alternative route far away from the
ecologically sensitive Gulf of Mannar biosphere and marine
parks. The project was inaugurated by our Hon'ble Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh on 02.07.2005.
Apart from creating the
navigational channel, the project also envisages overall
development of the Tamil Nadu State through creation of two
multipurpose harbours at Thondi and Rameswaram, three fishing
harbours at Mookaiyur, Sethubavachatram and Muthupet and
development programmes for the Coastal Community in the coastal
districts of Tamil Nadu. In the long term, the project will
boost maritime trade of our country, offer livelihood
opportunity to the coastal community and also generate
considerable direct and indirect employment in Tamil Nadu.
The Sethusamudram Corporation
Limited seeks the support of the Government of India, all its
Stakeholders and the people of Tamil Nadu, for achieving its
goal of making the channel operational soon.
K.
SURESH, I.A.S.
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