The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Sethusamudram project

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Friday, May 27, 2005

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Sethusamudram project

Those who praise the Sethusamudram project forget that the passage through a canal necessitates many stoppages, constant reduction in speed, and hours of waiting for inspection, etc. What about the prohibitive canal tolls, dues and pilotage charges? If the charges are pegged lower than the fuel costs (to round Sri Lanka), the break-even period of 25 years will prolong to a century!

Moreover, the canal can be used only by shallow drafted vessels. During hostilities no sane naval commander will lead his fleet through a narrow, shallow and long canal for fear of hostile submarine activities.

The project will benefit only political parties and multinational contractors, as there is no in-house capacity to execute such a major dredging job.

Commander (retd.)
G.V.K. Unnithan,
Mumbai

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