Swamy welcomes World Monument Watch List's concern over Ramsethu

New Delhi, June 9 (UNI) Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, welcoming a proposal by the World Monuments Watch List to take underwater images of the Ramsethu, today hailed the awareness of the US about ancient heritage values of the world's oldest bridge across the sea.

Ms Marilyn Perry, Chairman of World Monuments Watch List, United States had sought permission from the Indian government allowing international scuba divers to take photographs of the bridge, collect samples and test chronology of rock formations.

Ms Perry had conceded in New York that Ramasethu was not in the World Monuments Watch List because of incomplete documentation.

The US official had told that the government officials often see the water and the revenue but not the archeological importance beneath the sea. She also debunked the argument of increase in project cost by realignment of canal route saying that by making the bridge a tourist attraction and pilgrim site, provision of visit by glass bottom boats, the government can earn sufficient revenue to compensate the increased project cost. Even the Greenpeace movement has condemned the Sethu Samudram project as 'environmentally disastrous'.

Dr Swamy claimed that Shipping Minister T R Baalu was completely isolated on the issue and has the support of terrorists and gun runner organisations like LTTE between Chennai and Jaffna.

Even his colleague and Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri told Swamy Swaroopananda, the Jyotirmath Shankaracharya that the government distances itself from the Sethusamudram project.

The slogan 'Om versus Rome' must have rattled Congress President Sonia Gandhi, he said.

UNI