The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : "Fishing holiday" planned against Sethu project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 29, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

"Fishing holiday" planned against Sethu project

Special Correspondent

National Fish Workers Forum to stage nation-wide protest on November 21

CHALKING OUT STRATEGIES: (From left to right) Harekrishna Debnath, chairman of National Fish Workers Forum, T. Prakash, senior advocate of the Madras High Court and Jesurethinam of the Movement Against Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project at the Stat e-level Convention Against Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project held in Chennai on Wednesday. — Photo: Vino John

CHENNAI: The National Fish Workers Forum will stage a nation-wide protest against the Sethusamudram project on November 21, the World Fisheries Day, which will be observed as a "fishing holiday" in all fish landing centres and fishing ports.

Forum chairman Harekrishna Debnath made the announcement while inaugurating a State-level convention against the project, organised by the Movement Against Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project, here on Wednesday.

He said opinion had to be mobilised nation-wide against the World Trade Organisation and the Sethusamudram project. The Centre had to be persuaded to make a thorough analysis of the project's implications.

T. Prakash, senior advocate, Madras High Court, said "due process" was not followed while sanctioning the project. Even before Environment Ministry could clear it, the Union Ministry of Shipping declared the project environment-friendly.

The public hearings, organised by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, were flawed, but the Shipping Ministry did not wait for their results.

Mr. Prakash said the Centre had given the Madras High Court the impression that the rapid environmental impact assessment conducted by the National Environment and Engineering Research Institute was comprehensive.

Environmental clearance for the project was "farcical and unscientific" and should be set aside, demanded Jesurethinam of the Movement Against Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project.

`Project would affect biodiversity'

The project would affect biodiversity and livelihood of the local communities.

He said the hearings had not considered all project-related information.

The TNPCB had not issued a no-objection certificate. But, at the same time, it had also not placed the report it submitted to the Centre before the public.

It should be considered whether the project was technically feasible, environmentally sustainable, economically viable and ethically desirable, said A.V. Venkataramani, former Managing Director, Poompuhar Shipping Corporation.

White Paper sought

A White Paper should be tabled in Parliament on the project's economic viability.

Scientist R.S. Lal Mohan, Geetha Ramakrishnan of the Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangh and Gabriele Dietrich of the National Alliance of People's Movements also expressed reservations about the project.

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