- Increased dangers from Tsunamis
- Safety and Stability of Sethusamudram Project
- Sethusamudram shipping canal project and the eternal silence of the Indian earth scientists
- Seven scientific inconsistencies in the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal
- Tsunami expert raises fears over Sethusamudram Canal
- Setusamudram project: Enviro, Economic, Nautical disaster
- Setusamudram Ship Channel Project -- where is it headed?
March 22, 2008
1. In my analysis of the SSCP, Part-6, pertained to "SSCP AND SECURITY".
My threat perception included the 'Mine Threat'. Please read on !!
2. " Mine Threat: The prevailing depths in the SSCP make it an
ideal area for the use of sea mines. It has already been highlighted
about the acquisition of sophisticated conventional arms by various
terrorist organizations. A rudimentary sea mine is far cheaper than
any of the sophisticated missiles. And yet, the mines can block the
channel from being used for protracted durations as Mine Countermeasures
(MCM) is a slow, tedious and time consuming form of naval warfare. This
threat needs to be seriously kept in mind while formulating security
policies for the SSCP. It is hoped that the lessons learnt from MCM
operations in the Straits of Hormuz during and after "Operation
Desert Storm" is not lost on our policy planners."
3. In a perceptive paper presented at an International Symposium in
Chennai conducted by the Centre for Security Analysis on 13/14 DEC 2006,
Arabinda Acharya & Nadeeka Prashadani Withana from Singapore stated:
" The LTTE is the pioneer in maritime terrorism with a state-of-the-art
maritime terrorist organization. With its maritime terrorist arm called
the "Sea Tigers", LTTE has been successful in destroying a
large number of Sri Lankan naval vessels and personnel." Continuing,
they further stated: " The LTTE also has an underwater unit which
is responsible for infiltrating harbours to lay mines, conducting reconnaissance
operations and recovering material from vessels that have been sunk.
The Sea Tigers have developed improvised mines from everyday household
objects such as rice cookers. Free floating mines have also been used
( eg. inside Trincomalee harbour) which are generally equipped with
about 6 horns to prevent accidental detonation while floating. - - --
. In June 2006, 5 Sea Tigers were arrested by Sri Lankan police while
laying mines off the shore of Wennappuwa (60 Kms North of Colombo).
The mines were a nes type of improvised devices which the authorities
believe was developed by the LTTE. The mines were similar to limpet
mines and were designed to stick magnetically to the ship's hull. Each
mine weighed between 10-15 Kgs and could be triggered to explode by
a time-delay fuse or be made to explode remotely."
4. Against the foregoing backdrops, the 'Committee of Eminent Persons',
have in their report to the Central Govt. on the section dealing with
'security', have stated in their wisdom: "Unfortunately, the threat
by LTTE has been blown beyond the proportion".
5. Please read the TOI report (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2889054,prtpage-1.cms)
and judge for yourselves whether the threat perceptions have been 'blown
beyond the proportion'!! All it requires to shut down SSCP permanently
is 'JUST ONE EXPLOSION'!!
Submitted by Captain Hariharan Balakrishnan
Indian Navy & Master Mariner
Former Commanding Officer of Guided Missile Frigate INS Trishul
Setu project: Enviro, Economic, Nautical disaster
Two reports are presented
Courtesy:
Captain Hariharan Balakrishnan
Indian Navy & Master Mariner
Former Commanding Officer of Guided Missile Frigate INS Trishul
One by Sudarshan Rodriguez et al. relates to environmental and economic
disasters of Setu Samudram Shipping Channel Project (SSCP).
The other by Commander John Jacob Puthur, Indian Navy (Retd.), a hydrographer,
refers to sedimentation, oceanographic, navigation security and nautical
disasters.
Both conclude that the SSCP has been launched without adequate studies
and without careful analyses of impacts on the lives of coastal people
and the ecosystem.
Document 1
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2283275/sscpenviroecoissues
Review of Environmental and Economic aspects of Setusamudram Ship Channel
Project (SSCP) by Sudarshan Rodriguez, Jacob John, Rohan Arthur, Kartik
Shanker and Aarthi Sridhar, Oct. 2007
The section on dredging and it impacts on the corals and seagrasses
concludes that the project and its activities will introduce dramatic
changes in the marine environment of the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay.
Finally, the last section on the economic review reveals many glaring
gaps. Firstly among them is that the cost savings by ships have not
been adequately detailed out and grossly exaggerated.
Secondly, the fuel savings for many of these ships is actually negative.
Thirdly, the total savings (including reduction in time charter) actually
works out to just 30% of what is claimed by the DPR for most non-coastal
ships. The review concludes that the above three factors have significant
revenue implications as over 60% of the ships which 'benefit' will not
be willing to pay the amount as claimed in the DPR and this calls for
a greater study of economic benefits as per the present justification
and that in the present scenario the project will be a financial white
elephant.
In light of all the above, we conclude that the project has not been
adequately assessed for the environmental impacts to the biodiversity
and habitat of the Palk Straits, Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar and will
have serious impacts and cause drastic changes to the biodiversity of
the region. It is likely to also cause major impacts and losses of fisheries
and livelihoods to the region. Reviewing the current status of the implementation
phase of the project, considerable environmental damage has probably
already been done.
The project is economically unviable as per the present justifications
in the project document such as the Detailed Project Report and the
Technical Feasibility and Economic Analysis Report.
2. Recommendations
In light of the above the reviewers have the broad recommendation that
since in the present scenario, the project will have serious negative
environmental and financial impacts, it should consider addressing all
the knowledge gaps & recommendations that have been highlighted
in this report. The specific recommendations are listed below:
o Carry out a risk analysis/assessment, an ecological risk assessment
and develop a disaster management plan as per the requirement and guidelines
laid down by the EIA Notification and MoEF and incorporate them into
the EIA
o Undertake an assessment of sub-surface geology using appropriate drilling
investigations to arrive at clear picture of the type of dredging required
and its impacts on the environment.
o Based on the above appropriate hydrodynamic modeling studies in the
full area of the channel and potential disposal sites using a full year's
primary data taking into account cyclone and non cyclone data, should
be done. This study should also incorporate the latest literature on
sedimentation of the project area and the information of sub-surface
geology.
o Based on the inputs and results of the above two points, undertake
a study of the sediment dispersion and sedimentation during dredging
operations and assess its ecological and environmental implications.
The result of this should be incorporated into EIA, EMP and post project
environmental monitoring.
o Based on the dredge spoil characteristics, quantum and sedimentation
of the region identify suitable sites for dredge disposal after assessing
their stability using a full year's primary data (for normal and cyclonic
conditions). The result of this should be incorporated into EIA, EMP
and post project environmental monitoring.
o A full description and quantum of loss of bottom flora & fauna
along the channel and the dredge disposal sites. As assessment of the
impacts and implications to the local ecology and fisheries should be
done and incorporated into EIA, EMP and post project environmental monitoring.
o Ensure monitoring of all the parameters suggested in the DPR and MoEF
clearance conditions are being carried out and is fully published on
the project website regularly.
o The environmental parameters currently being monitored need to be
expanded to include other parameters such as hydrography, bathymetry,
current dynamics, total suspension load, climate changes, sea level
alterations etc. These should be incorporated into EMP and post-project
environmental monitoring.
o The submarine conditions during the dredging activity should be inspected
by divers and photographic and video records should be maintained. This
activity should also cover the dredge disposal sites. This should be
incorporated into EMP and post-project environmental monitoring.
o The project should develop a Dredging Management Programme and incorporate
it into the Environment Management Plan (EMP) of the EIA.
o Since the above are all basic elements that should have been part
of the EIA (and at least 70 percent of an EIA for a project of this
kind) and given the weight of the criticisms it is only fitting that
EIA and the relevant studies be redone.
o Only after the above has been done, reassessment of the economic justifications
of the project by reviewing of all economic benefits as per present
justification should be done. Specifically, reassess the current projected
cost savings by ships in terms of distance, fuel savings, and time savings
for the various routes. The projected traffic along these various routes
(Aden, Africa/Mauritius and Indian coastal ships) should be quantified.