Sethusamudram Project: Another Name of Disaster (Part- I)

Introduction
The shipping ministry intends to remove silt of about 48 million cubic meters in the Palk Straight at a cost of Rs 2,427 Crore and create a channel 167 km long to make the sea in this region navigable.
Claimed Benefits
It has been claimed that this will shorten the distance between the east and west coasts by about 780 km for the ships and subsequently would result in saving 30 hours of time for ships travelling from east to west or vice versa. As according to a benign estimate this will save fuel worth $5 Mn/yr. Some amount of Forex saving is also envisaged but there is no concrete data about it.
Another claim about the benefits of this project, popularly known as Sethusamudram Canal Project (SSCP) is that it will decrease our dependency on Sri Lanka as far as the maritime security of the region is concerned. It is said that as our Navy would be able to navigate from Palk Straight / Bay of Mannar, it would increase the efficiency of our naval forces.
Beneficial for None
Trade Angle: Let’s talk about the first benefit first. After the completion of the project International and domestic ships would navigate through the Bay of Mannar. Agreed. But what kind of ships they would be. Ships of not more than 30,000 tonnage. Let me explain it. The SSCP proposes a canal in Palk Straight of 12 m depth. Since this channel is just 12m deep, and you have to leave at least 2m space between the bottom of the ship and the seabed, only ships that sink 10m below the water can use it. Which means, the maximum weight these ships can carry is 30,000 tonnes. Brian Alexander, an agent for foreign cargo ships, who has worked at various ports across the country for the past 25 years says,"Now, I don't know of any foreign ship that tiny. Even coal ships that come from Indonesia and Africa weigh at least 45,000 tonnes. In international shipping, the bigger the ship, the lower the freight. So you see, there is no incentive for small-sized cargo ships. I don't think I know of any one who would even consider using that channel."
Now, let’s talk about the domestic shipping companies. It seems unlikely that Indian shippers will benefit either, says Anjani Sinha of the Multi Commodities Exchange, because negligible domestic trade is carried out on ships from coast to coast. "The whole thing is a waste of money, I think," says Arun Sharma, president of the Kolkata-based India Steamship Co and member of the Indian National Shipowners Association. "Firstly, little domestic trade happens on the sea. Second, I don't have ships that small. Third, even if I did, I would not use the channel. It is a security risk." And what is this security risk. The ships using this route would go within a 15-mile distance from Sri Lanka’s Jaffna Coast, which has been the stronghold of LTTE. As of now the government has issued a warning to all ships to steer at least 50 nautical miles clear of Sri Lanka's Jaffna coast.
So, virtually there is no one who is going to use this channel. But the SCL website says about 3,500 ships are expected to use this channel in the first year. Will they be the ships of multi national fishing companies, who are supposed to be the only beneficiary of this project. Can we get the answer here for over enthusiasm of some ever thirsty Indian politicians doing everything to get this project through.
(all quotes from Mint 13-09-07)
Saving Angle:
The claim- if a ship travels through the canal, it would save 30 hours and $50 lakh/ annum on fuel.
Fact- But as we have already discussed that the clearance between the bottom of a ship and the sea surface would be only 2 m, the ships must stop their propellers before it enters the canal. Here comes the role of a tugboat. Claim of saving 30 hours would have been true had the ships traveled at their natural speed. But getting the tugboat aboard the ship and again getting it detached would kill at least 3-4 hours. So the experts say it would be more than satisfactory if the ship really saves a couple of hours after getting tugged by a turtle speed tugboat.
And as per the estimates mentioned on SSCP web-site of K.S.Ramakrishnan, retired deputy chairman, Madras Port Trust, these tugboats will cost an estimated additional $40 M/yr. So, only Mr. T R Balu and his intelligent team can tell us which company would bear a burden of Rs 8 in order to save Re 1.
Security Angle:
The claim– This project would strengthen our naval security.
Fact- US has never recognised the Palk Straight maritime zone as Indian and Sri Lankan territory. So you may boast in national pride why should we look for US recognition. Because my friend, US naval ships have visited this area in 1993, 1994, 1999 and 2000 in support of its claim that it is a international maritime zone. And we (our navy) only saw them coming and going. In April 2007, the U.S.Navy issued a statement underscoring the importance to them of their presence in the Palk Straight/Gulf fo Mannar area.
So, no one should have a doubt in his or her mind what would happen if naval ships would be able to navigate in the Palk Straight area. Panama and Suez canals have been declared as international maritime zone and PIL from Dr. S.Kalyanaraman against the project expresses concern for Palk Straight to be like Panama and Suez. Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer has earmarked this proposed canal as a new danger with the American presence in the Sethusamudram.
(We saw the truth behind the so-called benefits of Sethusamudram Project। Now we would discuss the disaster this project will cause for the ecology and energy security of the country in part II of this story.)