Setu Samundram: SC asks for details of impact on ecology

New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) The Supreme Court today directed three writ petitions pending before the Madras High Court seeking directions to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to declare Sethu Samundram as National heritage, to this court.

A bench comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, Justice R V Raveendran and Justice Dalbeer Bhandari, however, refused to stay the ongoing work of dredging for construction of Setu Samundram.

The petition filed by one Gopalaswamy and two others filed by former Union Minister and Janata party president Subramanian Swamy respectively have been tranferred to this court on the grounds that similar petitions are already pending before this court.

The court also directed respondents including Union of India and ASI to file affidavit containing details of the impact on the ecology and enviroment of the area because of the construction of Setu Samundram to connect Rameshwaram to Sri Lanka.

The bridge is facing opposition from some Hindu organisaton as well as sadhus because Ram Setu will have to be removed for construction of Setu Samundram and Hindus believe that Ram Sethu was constructed by Lord Rama with the help of his Vanar Sena to invade Sri Lanka to free his wife Sita from the captivity of Demon King Ravana who was the ruler of Sri Lanka at that time.

UNI