Ram Sethu: Centre gets six weeks to convey its stand

The Supreme Court granted six weeks time to the Central government to communicate its stand on the Sethusamudram project

The Supreme Court granted six weeks time to the Central government to communicate its stand on the Sethusamudram project. A Bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad accorded more time to the government after Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman said the Union Cabinet required to discuss the issue and take a decision.

In July too,the Centre was given two months to analyse the Pachauri panel report and convey to the court its decision on how did it propose to go about the project.

The panel,set up after a bunch of petitions reached the apex court against execution of the project because of possible damages to the mythological Ram Sethu,had opined that an alternative alignment was not economically and ecologically feasible.

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The matter was adjourned amid indications that the Centre was contemplating to reject the Pachauri panel report and set up a new committee to re-examine Alignment 4A,as suggested by the Supreme Court,and have an alternative route that avoids Ram Sethu.

As reported by The Indian Express on Monday,the Ministry of Shipping has recommended that a new panel of experts analyse Alignment 4A with respect to its climate and environment impact and suggest ways that this could be minimised.

The Sethusamudram project aims to create a shorter navigational route around Indias southern tip,between India and Sri Lanka,to allow large ships to get to Indias east coast from the west without navigating around Sri Lanka,as they do now.

For Kolkata, the IMD has forecast mostly cloudy skies with light to moderate rain or thundershowers on most days through Panchami.

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