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‘Sethusamudram a stupid project…’: BJP TN chief Annamalai points out ‘multiple’ objections

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/29

New Delhi [India], January 26 (ANI): The BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai has reiterated his claim that the ‘Sethusamudram’ waterway project ‘fails on multiple fronts’, one of which is the potential damage to the ‘Ram Setu’ (bridge), which according to the epic ‘Ramayana’ was created to rescue Sita from the clutches of Ravana.

In ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Annamalai said, “When the UPA government was in power, the DMK government wanted the ‘Setu Samudram’ project to be implemented. Under this project, ships can avoid a longer route around Sri Lanka and reach the Toothukudi port directly. The DMK said it (the project) will save money and attract cargo traffic towards India.”

The Sethusamudran project aims at creating a continuous, navigable route around the Indian peninsula, so that ships, instead of going around Sri Lanka because of the shallow water, can reach the Tamil Nadu coast directly, resulting in siginificant economic benefits to India, according to reports.<br />”It is the Adam’s Bridge in English and Ramarpalam in Tamil. It means Ram’s Bridge. Also called the ‘Ram Setu’ in Hindi, the 58-km-long landmass bridge connects India and Sri Lanka,” the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief said.

He said the primary objection to the project is the potential damage to the ‘Ram Setu’.

“The DMK presented a drawing of an alignment ‘4A’ for the Setu Samudran project, which breaks through the Ram Setu. In 2018, the central government submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court, saying that it had an objection to the ‘4A’ alignment as it will destroy the Ram Setu and the Union government was considering other alignments where the ‘Ram Setu’ won’t even be touched,” he said.

He further alleged that the stand of the DMK and the Congress-led UPA has been that there is ‘nothing like’ Ram Setu and it is all a figment of imagination. The central government has been saying that it is not against the project, but will find some other alignment for it, he added.

“In January 2021, PM Modi set up a committee to scientifically study Ram Setu and the committee is functioning as of date,” he said.

The BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief also pointed to Union Minister Jitendra Singh’s reply in the Parliament regarding the Ram Setu.

“Recently in Parliament, Union Minister Jitendra Singh replied to a question on whether the connection of Ram Setu with Ramayana is confirmed. He replied that ‘structures’ do exist, but since they are 18,000 years old, as of now, the Ram Setu ‘bridge’ is not confirmed. But the structures do exist. The committee is functioning and will submit a report,” he said.<br />Targeting the DMK government further, Annamalai said, “The Tamil Nadu government picked one line of minister Jitendra Singh’s speech, saying that since the central government is itself saying that Ram Setu does not exist, we are implementing the project.”

“Even then, our members in the Assembly said we don’t have an objection to the project, but they should not go for alignment ‘4A’ as it will damage the Ram Setu bridge, and opt for other alignments,” he added.

The Tamil Nadu BJP chief said another objection to the project is that it will benefit only a few big DMK leaders and not the fisherfolk of the state.

“This 4A is a very stupid project. I am using the word ‘stupid’, because former CM Jayalalithaa had also used the same word,” he said.

“The sea between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu is a very peculiar and shallow area. We have coral reefs and ‘Ram Setu’ there. In some areas, you can see the land below the water for kilometres. Every time, a ship has to come, the sand will come and close the route. So, a dredging operation has to be done for the ships to pass through the area,” he said.

Further citing former CM Jayalalithaa, Annamalai said as the dredging operation has to be continuous, huge ships won’t be able to come from this route and the project will fail.<br />”She said that it will only benefit two people — (DMK leader) TR Balu, who owns a shipping company and (fellow party leader) Kannimozhi, who owns the logistics. No fisherman will benefit from this. She also challenged them to put on record that they don’t have any stake in the shipping business. Today, Kannimozhi is the Toothukudi MP, and TR Balu-ji is an MP in Chennai. But, they are yet to answer if they have any stake in the shipping business,” he further said.

Raising another objection, the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief said the shallow water in the region protects the coast from tsunamis.

“A recent study says that when Tsunami came, a lot of damage happened, but the coastline between India and Sri Lanka didn’t get damaged because the shallow water absorbed all the energy. Technically, it protects us from tsunamis because the Indonesian plate is also very fragile,” he said.

He further highlighted the RK Pachauri report which called the project ‘unsustainable’.

“The RK Pachauri report called the report ‘unsustainable’. For an INR 25000 crore project, it will be sustainable only if it provides a 12 per cent rate of return. But, the project does not get even 4 per cent. There is no saving of cost and no saving of fuel. The cost of dredging will offset the saving that will be done by skipping Sri Lanka and coming inside,” he said.

Annamalai said the reason behind their objections to the project is that it fails on multiple fronts.

“So, far we can see that the project fails on multiple fronts. So, if you want to go ahead with the project, you will have to work completely out of the box, along with the central government,” he added.

On January 14, Annamalai alleged that the Sethusamudram waterway project straddling India and Sri Lanka would benefit only a few shipping companies owned by leaders of the ruling DMK.

A grand waterway project straddling India and Sri Lanka, the Sethusamudram project proposes to connect the Palk Strait with the Gulf of Mannar. The project is seen as key to bringing economic prosperity to the state and the country.

Commissioned in 2005, the project came to a halt in light of protests by rightwing groups claiming that the project may harm the ‘Ram Setu’ bridge, which is believed to have been built by Lord Ram to reach Sri Lanka.

Environmentalists and activists, too, had claimed it might pose a potential threat to the environment in Rameswaram, the southernmost tip of the country.In the resolution, the DMK government had promised to complete the project while campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections.

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News

Current El Niño Status in Sri Lanka

Published

2 hours ago

2026/07/16

Priyan

At present, El Niño conditions have developed and are classified as being at a weak level. Forecasts indicate a 63% probability of a very strong El Niño event developing during the period from November 2026 to January 2027. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is approximately a one-third probability that El Niño will remain below a very strong intensity.

Typical Climatic Conditions Associated with El Niño
Based on analyses of past El Niño events that occurred between 1950 and 2025:
• Rainfall during July and August may be below normal, particularly in the dry zone areas.
• From October onward, rainfall is generally expected to be above normal.
• If a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) develops, enhanced rainfall conditions may continue until December.

Sectors Requiring Attention
• Appropriate measures should be taken for water resource management during July and August.
• Increased rainfall expected from October onward may lead to floods and landslides, requiring preparedness and close monitoring. The forecasts are important for sectors such as, Agriculture /Water management /Livestock /Health /Energy /Other climate-sensitive sectors
• Attention should be paid to official information issued by the Department of Meteorology.

Actions by the Department of Meteorology
The Department of Meteorology continuously monitors the evolving situation and issues:
• Weekly and monthly seasonal forecasts and Monthly analyses of rainfall data to monitor meteorological drought conditions.
As weather conditions are influenced not only by El Niño but also by other climatic factors, updated forecasts and advisories are regularly shared with relevant stakeholder organizations (Irrigation/ Water Management Committee /Department of Agriculture/National Building Research Institute/Disaster Management Centre (DMC)/Ministry of Health /Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation…etc). The Department also provides technical support to the committee established through a Cabinet decision to address climate-related impacts. The Department’s monthly rainfall outlook for July to September 2026 is attached

Monthly Rainfall Forecasts for July, August and September 2026
Month Rainfall forecast
July 2026

During July 2026, there is a higher probability of having near normal rainfall across most parts of the Western and Southern Provinces. The remainder of the country is expected to experience below normal rainfall.

August 2026

There is a higher probability of having below normal rainfall across most parts of the country during month of August 2026.

September 2026

There is a possibility of above-normal rainfall across most parts of the Western and Southern Provinces, while near-normal rainfall is expected in the Sabaragamuwa Province. Below-normal rainfall is likely in the remaining areas during September 2026.

Note: These long-range forecasts may change due to strong day-to-day atmospheric variability associated with the movement of weather systems such as atmospheric disturbances, low-pressure areas, and depressions, as well as intra-seasonal oscillations such as the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). Therefore, in addition to the weekly and monthly forecasts, it is important to pay attention to the Department’s official announcements, weather advisories and warnings, as well as the daily weather forecasts issued by the Department of Meteorology.

News

Govt. move to extend retirement ages of top judges: Opp. complains to UN

Published

3 hours ago

2026/07/16

Sahan Weerasooriya

Prof. Peiris addresses the media outside the UN compound in Colombo on Thursday on the controversial government move to extend the retirement ages of Superior Court judges, while former MPs Thalatha Atukorale, Dr Suren Raghavan and Premanath C. Dolawatta look on.

Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (15) briefed the UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo, Marc-André Franche, on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s move to extend the retirement ages of the superior court judges and the delay in filling the vacancies in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

Prof. Peiris, the convenor of the People’s Joint Opposition, led the delegation that included UNP General Secretary and former Minister Thalatha Atukorale, former UPFA National List parliamentarian Suren Raghavan and ex- SLPP MP Premnath C. Dolawatta.

Having met the top official here, Prof. Peiris briefed the media on their decision to bring the developing situation to the notice of the UN.

Referring to the opposition of the legal fraternity to the NPP government’s plan, Prof. Peiris emphasised that the civil society, too, had opposed the politically motivated initiative.

Prof. Peiris said that instead of addressing the burning issues affecting the public, the government was creating new problems.

News

Dengue surge pushes hospitals to the brink as cases near 70,000

Published

3 hours ago

2026/07/16

Sahan Weerasooriya

A week-long crackdown to begin in 11 districts

Hospitals are coming under mounting pressure as the country’s dengue epidemic gathers pace, with nearly 70,000 infections and 48 deaths reported so far this year, prompting health authorities to launch an intensive week-long mosquito control campaign in 11 districts.

The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) said 69,951 dengue cases had been reported by July 13, with 14,572 new infections recorded during the first 13 days of July alone. June saw the highest monthly caseload of the year, underlining the rapid spread of the mosquito-borne disease during the southwest monsoon.

Acting Director of the NDCU, Dr. Kapila Kannangara, warned that the hospital system was facing severe congestion due to the unprecedented influx of dengue patients.

“We are seeing an alarming increase in admissions. Hospitals are under tremendous pressure, and public cooperation is essential to bring the outbreak under control,” he said, announcing that a special one-week dengue control programme would be implemented across 11 high-risk districts.

Health authorities have identified 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions as high-risk dengue zones. Public Health Inspectors will conduct inspections, eliminate mosquito breeding sites and initiate legal action against those maintaining mosquito-infested premises.

The Western Province continues to account for the largest share of infections, with Gampaha and Colombo among the worst-affected districts. Several hospitals are already operating beyond capacity as the number of admissions continues to climb.

Health officials attributed the surge to intermittent rains, poor waste disposal, stagnant water collections and inadequate community participation in vector control programmes.

The Ministry of Health has appealed to local authorities, schools, workplaces, religious institutions and households to inspect their premises regularly, clear blocked drains and roof gutters, cover water storage containers and remove discarded tyres, cans, bottles and other containers capable of collecting rainwater.

Medical experts urged the public not to ignore symptoms such as persistent fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, vomiting, abdominal pain and bleeding manifestations, stressing that early medical treatment is critical in preventing severe dengue and deaths.

Officials emphasised that eliminating mosquito breeding sites remains the single most effective way of controlling dengue, warning that unless communities actively participate, the outbreak could worsen during the ongoing rainy season.

With daily case numbers continuing to rise and hospitals struggling to cope, health authorities said the coming weeks would be crucial in determining whether the country can curb one of its worst dengue outbreaks in recent years.

By Ifham Nizam