We are extremely concerned about the continuing reports in the media related to the determination of Indian government especially Ministers of Shipping Mr. Balu and Ambika Soni of Cultural Ministry to the destruction of Ram Sethu (Adam’s Bridge) by continuing the sethusamudram project.  The project is fine, but the present route is not, as it involves destruction of the Adam’s bridge (Ram Sethu).

The existence of Ram Sethu (Adam’s Bridge) has been proved by the satellite pictures of NASA. Details may be seen and read at: http://history.nasa.gov/SP-168/section3b.htm 

Foreigners and Indians alike have described it as Rama's bridge since ancient times in their maps and travelogues. The first time someone called it Adam's Bridge was in 1804 by James Rennell, the first surveyor general of the East India Company. Even if the Government of India prefers to use the name Adam's Bridge, it simply proves that not only Hindus but Muslims and Christians too have a reverence for the bridge it is going to destroy.

The Encyclopedia Britannica describes the bridge thus, 'Adam's Bridge also called Rama's Bridge, chain of shoals, between the islands of Mannar, near northwestern Sri Lanka, and Rameswaram, off the southeastern coast of India.' Read at: http://www.britannicaindia.com/duk_det_inside.asp?art_id=28

The Ram Setu or Adam's Bridge connects India's Rameshwaram to Sri Lanka's Talaimannar. A movement has begun to safeguard it at the shores of Rameshwaram on April 18. Two former judges of the Supreme Court, Justice K T Thomas and Justice V R Krishna Iyer, none of them close to any political party, have warned the government against destroying the Ram Setu.

Ramasethu acted as 'barrier' during tsunami: ADB expert

A former Asian Development Bank expert has urged for preserving the legendary 'Rama Sethu' bridge of 'Ramayana' times now immersed under sea waters, saying it had protected the entire South and South-West of Nagapattinam when the Tsunami struck the coastlines of several countries in the Indian Ocean.

 

After the Tsunami struck the Indian coasts in December 2004, shoal accumulations of the Rama Sethu acted as a barrier in protecting the coastline on the South and South-West of Nagapattinam.

The devastating high tides caused by the displacement of tectonic events near Banda Aceh in Indonesia circled the entire Sri Lankan Island and partially moved to Kerala and towards the Rama bridge.

''If the bridge is breached for Sethusamudram, the waters would directly gush into the entire peninsular region beyond Dhanushkodi and the coastline in Kerala to Konkan regions in Karnataka-Goa and Maharashtra and the devastation would be incalculable,'' he said.

 

Even Geological Survey of India in its logo, which describes India in this line etched at the bottom of its insignia -- Aasetu Himachal, meaning India is spread between the Bridge and the Himalayas.

 

Millions of families of fishermen, Hindus, Muslims and Christians who eke out a living by the sea have formed a protest group under the banner Tamil Nadu Fishermen Sangh headed by Shri Kuppu Ram.

 

This is comparable to a recent news story from the USA which we highlighted here in HHR http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1505736.ece
where the American courts disallowed the use of sewage for artificial snow on a sacred mountain used as a place of worship and pilgrimage by the Native American people.

 

Why has the council rejected the alternative plans put forward by the various organisations?

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the Sethusamudram project on July 2, 2005. The present route of the project essentially requires the destruction of the Ram Setu (Adam’s bridge) is intentionally being adopted, while other options, closer to Dhanushkodi, which did not touch the Ram Setu were ignored?

And why is the Indian government hesitating in consulting the issue related to the safety of Ram Sethu (Adam’s bridge) with the organizations want to save Ram Sethu (Adam’s bridge), scientists and NASA?

 

We of the following signatures look forward to hearing from you or saving the world heritage Ram Sethu *Adam’s bridge) – and, we hope, that Indian government will adopt a more responsible attitude to its own country heritage, as well as world heritage.

 

Yours sincerely,

The undersigned below