Author:
Publication: Deccan Chronicle
Date: October 31, 2007
URL: http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/home/homedetails.asp#Sethu%20panel%20keeps%20hearings%20%20private
The Committee of Eminent Persons on Sethusamudram
Shipping Channel Project is holding public sittings in Chennai, but there
is nothing public about it. The committee proceedings began on Monday at the
Malligai bungalow on Greenways Road, where most state ministers and high court
judges live and the question that is agitating the public and the Sethu scholars
alike is why the media is being kept out.
"This is not a public sitting. It is
a private hearing involving those making their presentations and the members
of the committee. We will issue press releases at the end of each day's proceedings.
We do not want a media presence beyond this," Professor S. Ramachandran,
vice-chancellor of the Madras University, chairing the nine-member Sethu committee,
told this newspaper. However, no press release came.
Officials of the Chennai Port Trust are manning
the entry points at Malligai and their main task appears to be to identify
media persons and shoo them away. "We are not even allowing the Kalaignar
TV crew, why should we let you in?" quipped a babu at the gate. The police
is doing its bit in screening the visitors, who are either campaigners for
the Rs.2,500 crore project that is expected to fulfill the 150-year Tamil
dream or "spoil-sport activists" trying hard to get it shot down.
"There is a big announcement outside
the committee room saying it is a private hearing. This is in violation of
the high democratic traditions promised by the additional solicitor general
in the Supreme Court for listening to alternative views on the Sethu project,"
said Dr S. Kalyanaraman, chairman of the Saraswati Foundation and one of the
opponents of the projects, who made his 25-minute presentation before the
committee on Wednesday.
Chief minister M. Karunanidhi and his nominee
T. R. Baalu heading the Union shipping ministry are convinced that the Sethu
project will sail through, overcoming the hiccups caused by court cases mostly
inspired by the Sangh Parivar taking up the issue of the Ramar Sethu, the
legendary bridge built by the Hanuman brigade for Rama to rescue Sita from
Ravanan's Lanka.
Informed sources say Mr Baalu had handpicked
most of the members of the Sethu committee, constituted by the Centre following
a directive from the Supreme Court hearing petitions against the Sethu project,
including one from the Janata Party president Dr Subramaniam Swamy. Interestingly,
Prof Ramachandran had come to the venue of the fast led by Mr Karunanidhi
on the Sethu issue at Chennai on October 1 and even presented a shawl and
flowers to the chief minister, announcing his political leanings rather loudly.
"How do you expect such a person to conduct
this committee in a non-partisan, fair and scientific manner?" asked
Dr Swamy, terming the committee as "BARC, Baalu's anti-Ram Committee".
Sources said the committee of eminent persons could do with more experts,
considering that some of its members were not adequately informed about the
intricacies of the issues involved, particularly the complicated issues of
undersea dredging, navigation calculations and terrorist-threats. "I
was surprised that the committee should ask me to provide them with copies
of the Madras high court judgement of 19 June (2007) and references to Sethu
in Sangam and ancient Tamil texts," said Dr Kalyanaraman, emerging from
his session with the committee.
Capt Hariharan Balakrishnan was another expert
who came with a detailed affidavit to "educate" the committee on
the navigational and security aspects allegedly ignored by Mr Baalu and team.
"Four pens dropped to the floor and I found the members suddenly sitting
up when I told the committee that the Sethu Channel will not reduce the distance
for large vessels sailing between Athens and Singapore but actually increase
it by 63 nautical miles. I told them this project made no nautical sense,"
Capt Balakrishnan said speaking to this newspaper.
