Sc refuses interim directions on construction of Sethusamudram

New Delhi, Aug 10 (UNI) The Supreme Court today refused to issue any interim directions to the government to stop construction of Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran, however, directed the Union Government to file its response to the petition filed by Dandi Swami Sri Vidyananda Bhartiji seeking directions to the government not to demolish the mythical Adam bridge, also known as Ram Setu.

Counsel for petitioner K K Venugopal told the Court that the government was fighting shy of filing a counter affidavit as assured in the Madras High Court that Ram Setu would not be disturbed and no further construction will be taken up.

The statement was strongly refuted by Additional Solicitor General R Mohan who contended that no such assurance was given to the Court and also refused to give any similar assurance to the apex court.

The court tagged the petition along with other petitions already pending before it, over the issue seeking directions to the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) to declare Ram Setu as a heritage site. Some of the petitioners are also opposing the removal of Ram Setu on the grounds that it will hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

According to the petitioner, 20.84 per cent of the bridge has already been encroached upon and Sethusamudram project will also damage the environment of the area.

UNI