Date:30/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/30/stories/2008073055341300.htm

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Counsel quotes Kamba Ramayanam on demolition by Lord himself

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: During Tuesday’s hearing on the Sethu project, even as senior counsel Fali Nariman, appearing for the Centre, referred to Kamba Ramayanam to say Lord Ram himself destroyed Ramar Sethu, Additional Solicitor-General R. Mohan read out a poem from ‘Yuddha Kandam Part 2.’

Mr. Mohan also read out the English translation by V.M. Gopalakrishnamach-ariar. It says: “In order to have a smooth sailing of the ships in the sea without any obstruction, the same [Ramar Sethu] was demolished by [Lord] Rama by drawing the end of his bow across a particular spot in the sea and made it easier for the ships to cross the seashore. The place [from where Rama touched the spot with his bow] is called Dhanuskodi for that reason. Even a person who had committed five kinds of sins, has a dip at that place, he would be absolved of his sins and free from all diseases in 21 births and be treated as treasure by the Gods.”

Mr. Mohan also read out the official translation by the government of Tamil Nadu which was on similar lines.

ISRS document

On legal submissions, Mr. Nariman quoted various documents, including those published by the Indian Society of Remote Sensing to show that Adam’s Bridge or Ramar Sethu was a natural geological formation. The ISRS document says: “The study using satellite data concludes that Adam’s Bridge is not man-made in nature but comprises 103 small patch reefs lying in a linear pattern with reef crest, sand cays and intermittent deep channels. The linearity of the bridge suggests an old shoreline from where coral reef evolved.”

Counsel contended that since the government had complied with all mandatory clearances for the project and had spent an enormous amount, the court should not interfere with its implementation.

Where is NoC?

Senior counsel Sriram Panchu, appearing for one of the petitioners opposed to the project, said a project of this dimension, bearing significant ecological, economic, social, cultural, political and legal implications, had been cleared in a slipshod manner. He said clearance was granted without a no-objection certificate from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and without a risk assessment or disaster management plan in an environment impact assessment study.