The geoheritage value of Ram Setu
- Recently, SC gave the Centre an ultimatum to file a response clarifying its stand on a plea seeking national heritage status for ‘Ram Setu’.
Adam’s Bridge/ Ram Setu
- Separating the shallow sea consisting of the Gulf of Mannar in the south and Palk Bay in the north
- A linear coral ridge
- Similar to the Great Barrier Reef
- A stretch of limestone shoals running from Pamban Island near Rameswaram to the Mannar Island on the northern coast of Sri Lanka.
Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP)
- Proposed by the British to create a channel to link the Palk Strait with the Gulf of Mannar
- Inaugurated in 2005.
- If completed, may reduce the navigation time between east & west coasts of India
Concerns about the project
- Stability of the proposed channel
- Environmental impact
- More sedimentation, rendering them more turbid
- Vulnerability to cyclonic storms
- Finding safe places for dumping dredged material without harming terrestrial or marine ecosystems
- Emissions from ships polluting the air and water
- Opposition by religious groups due to its significance in Ramayana
Need for protection
- Coral reef platforms between Thoothukudi & Rameswaram in the Gulf of Mannar - marine biosphere reserve (1989)
- Home to > 36,000 species of flora and fauna
- Flanked by mangroves and sandy shores
- Considered conducive for turtles to nest
- A breeding ground for fish, lobsters, shrimps and crabs
- 600 recorded varieties of fish - 70 commercially important
- Threatened by thermal plants, brine run-off from salt pans, & illegal coral mining
Conclusion
- The SSCP will be the final blow to this sensitive environment and to the livelihoods of the people there.
- While considering this issue from a believer’s point of view, it is also important to consider this feature from a ‘geoheritage’ perspective.
Prelims Takeaway
- Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP)
- Ram Setu
- Biosphere Reserves