Indian Ship Canal Project threatens Sri Lankan Ecology by Damitha Hemachandra
COLOMBO, Sept 15 (OneWorld) - Environmentalists in Sri Lanka are protesting against India's US $1.09 billion proposal to construct a deep ship canal from the Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal, claiming it will disturb the water balance in the northern Jaffna Peninsular, trigger erosion of the coastline and endanger a large oceanic national park in the island nation.
Experts fear the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project cleared by the Indian government on September 2 will cause irreparable damage to nearly a quarter of the island.
The project proposes the development of a ship canal to connect the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay, enabling movement of ships between India's East and West coast through a continuous navigable sea route around the peninsula within India's own territorial waters.
The channel will save about 400 nautical miles and up to 36 hours of sailing time for ships between the East and West coasts.
But in the process it may severely impact the eco-sensitive region. Remarks spokesperson of Sri Lanka's leading environmental group, Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) Vinod Munasinghe, "The heavy dredging required to create the shipping canal through the Rameswaram Island could disturb the water balance of the Jaffna Peninsular and threaten the fragile coast line of the Gulf of Mannar."
He elaborates that, "The geography of the Gulf of Mannar and the seabed around it is very shallow and the Adam's Bridge which stretches through Palk Strait too is a very shallow sand dune. These dunes act as a barrier against the water flow."
Munasinghe cautions that dredging the sand barriers to create a 12.8x300 meter two-way channel could make the Sri Lankan shores and Gulf of Mannar more vulnerable to sea erosion.
According to Munasinghe, the canal could create a host of other problems in the Jaffna Peninsular.
"The water levels of the Jaffna Peninsular are lower than sea level and heavy dredging could disturb it. There is a threat of ground water turning saline with the channel's construction," he remarks, adding that the movement of ships so close to land with very sensitive geology could create heavy water thrusts, increasing the threat of sea erosion.
Environmentalists are questioning the Indian government's failure to consult the Sri Lankan government about the proposed Sethusamudram project, implying that India's National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) did not consider the 1982 United Nations (news - web sites) law on sea convention while preparing their report.
Munasinghe elaborates that the main flaw in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Sethusamudram project is that it does not involve Sri Lanka, one of the biggest stakeholders. He alleges, "Although an EIA is meant to consult all the risk holders of a project, the NEERI failed to consult the Sri Lankan government on its implications on Sri Lanka."
Environmental lawyer Jagath Gunewardhana accuses NEERI of preparing the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report without investigating the long-term effect of the proposed project.
Although the NEERI, which completed the environmental impact report on the project last July had cited concerns about the canal's impact on the marine flora and fauna of the Mannar Oceanic National Park, it failed to address immediate issues like damage to water balance in the Jaffna Peninsular and heavy sea erosion.
Gunewardhana also points out that deepening the shallow water barriers around the park could invite many invasive marine species living around the Indian oceans.
The issue is also being taken up on the political level. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament from Jaffna, M. Senadhiraja says a committee of specialists has been constituted to investigate into the adverse effects of the project on the Jaffna Peninsular and Gulf of Mannar.
"If their report indicates any negative environment impacts we will take up the matter with the Indian and Sri Lankan governments," he promises.
The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, A.H.M.Fowzie also says he will discuss the issue with the Indian government if the present investigation into the project proves it will be harmful to Sri Lanka.
But by then, it may well be too late. Gunewardhana fears time is running out for the Sri Lankan government to register a protest.
"It is not merely an environment issue," he remarks, adding that if it is mishandled, the project could trigger a social and security crisis in the country.
For her part, spokesperson for the Indian High Commission, Nagma Malik says its too early to comment on the project, adding that the Indian government will abandon it if it poses a serious threat to Sri Lanka's ecology and environment.
(OneWorld South Asia-Wed Sep 15, 8:16 AM ET)
Experts fear the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project cleared by the Indian government on September 2 will cause irreparable damage to nearly a quarter of the island.
The project proposes the development of a ship canal to connect the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay, enabling movement of ships between India's East and West coast through a continuous navigable sea route around the peninsula within India's own territorial waters.
The channel will save about 400 nautical miles and up to 36 hours of sailing time for ships between the East and West coasts.
But in the process it may severely impact the eco-sensitive region. Remarks spokesperson of Sri Lanka's leading environmental group, Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) Vinod Munasinghe, "The heavy dredging required to create the shipping canal through the Rameswaram Island could disturb the water balance of the Jaffna Peninsular and threaten the fragile coast line of the Gulf of Mannar."
He elaborates that, "The geography of the Gulf of Mannar and the seabed around it is very shallow and the Adam's Bridge which stretches through Palk Strait too is a very shallow sand dune. These dunes act as a barrier against the water flow."
Munasinghe cautions that dredging the sand barriers to create a 12.8x300 meter two-way channel could make the Sri Lankan shores and Gulf of Mannar more vulnerable to sea erosion.
According to Munasinghe, the canal could create a host of other problems in the Jaffna Peninsular.
"The water levels of the Jaffna Peninsular are lower than sea level and heavy dredging could disturb it. There is a threat of ground water turning saline with the channel's construction," he remarks, adding that the movement of ships so close to land with very sensitive geology could create heavy water thrusts, increasing the threat of sea erosion.
Environmentalists are questioning the Indian government's failure to consult the Sri Lankan government about the proposed Sethusamudram project, implying that India's National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) did not consider the 1982 United Nations (news - web sites) law on sea convention while preparing their report.
Munasinghe elaborates that the main flaw in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Sethusamudram project is that it does not involve Sri Lanka, one of the biggest stakeholders. He alleges, "Although an EIA is meant to consult all the risk holders of a project, the NEERI failed to consult the Sri Lankan government on its implications on Sri Lanka."
Environmental lawyer Jagath Gunewardhana accuses NEERI of preparing the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report without investigating the long-term effect of the proposed project.
Although the NEERI, which completed the environmental impact report on the project last July had cited concerns about the canal's impact on the marine flora and fauna of the Mannar Oceanic National Park, it failed to address immediate issues like damage to water balance in the Jaffna Peninsular and heavy sea erosion.
Gunewardhana also points out that deepening the shallow water barriers around the park could invite many invasive marine species living around the Indian oceans.
The issue is also being taken up on the political level. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament from Jaffna, M. Senadhiraja says a committee of specialists has been constituted to investigate into the adverse effects of the project on the Jaffna Peninsular and Gulf of Mannar.
"If their report indicates any negative environment impacts we will take up the matter with the Indian and Sri Lankan governments," he promises.
The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, A.H.M.Fowzie also says he will discuss the issue with the Indian government if the present investigation into the project proves it will be harmful to Sri Lanka.
But by then, it may well be too late. Gunewardhana fears time is running out for the Sri Lankan government to register a protest.
"It is not merely an environment issue," he remarks, adding that if it is mishandled, the project could trigger a social and security crisis in the country.
For her part, spokesperson for the Indian High Commission, Nagma Malik says its too early to comment on the project, adding that the Indian government will abandon it if it poses a serious threat to Sri Lanka's ecology and environment.
(OneWorld South Asia-Wed Sep 15, 8:16 AM ET)
| Permalink | E-mail this post 
