Sethusamudram
Govt clears affidavit
Seeks go-ahead

New Delhi, February 28
Putting behind months of differences within, the government today cleared the affidavit to be filed in the Supreme Court seeking the go ahead for the controversial Sethusamudram project, a decision seen as endorsing key UPA constituent DMK’s line.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which met for a second time in three days, gave the green signal for the affidavit that may be filed tomorrow. In the 90-page affidavit, the government is understood to have said that no archaeological study has been undertaken to determine whether Ram Setu is man-made or natural and without any such survey no conclusion can be drawn, sources said.

The affidavit seeks vacation of the stay on the work on the Sethusamudram project leaving the decision on clearing the project to the court, sources said, adding care has been taken not to hurt sentiments of any community.

The shipping ministry has been pressing for pursuing the project urgently but the culture ministry sought to tread cautiously considering the associated religious sentiments that could flare up.

Shipping ministry headed by T.R. Baalu of the DMK has been asked to file the affidavit in which “ mistakes that had crept in the past have been rectified.” The DMK headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has made the multi-crore project on Palk Strait as a prestige issue despite opposition from BJP, AIADMK and Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy.

In the affidavit, government is understood to have said that no study has been conducted to show whether it was a man-made structure and has taken a line that it was a natural formation. — PTI