Political News: Sethu project , SEZ in GOA

SETHU PROJECT

Project:
Rs. 24 billion Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project envisages dredging of a ship channel across the Palk straits between India and Srilanka. The project will alllow ships sailing between the east and west costs of India to have a straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of having to circumvent Sri Lanka.

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This will lead to a saving of upto 424 nautical miles (780 Km) and upto to 30 hours in sailing time. substantial savings for the shipping companies, exporters and importers, manufacturers.
Indian fishing boats can transit freely though north of Adam's Bridge. This is not possible today. The project will facilitate coast movement of domestic cargo, leading to greater employment generation in the Ports and the industries in the vicinity.
The channel will become an invaluable asset from national defence and security point of view enabling easier and quicker access between the coasts.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has been painting the deal with a nasty communal brush.

Counterview:
BJP is anti Sethusamudram campaign. It has maintained that the project will adversely affect the ecological balance destroy a piece of heritage and hurt religious sentiments of millions of Hindus (To deepen the sea in the Palk Straits is the rocky bottom in the Adam's Bridge area. Devout Hindus say it is actually 'Ramar Sethu', a bridge of rocks that the monkey army of Lord Ram had built to help him cross over to Sri Lanka to rescue Sita, from the clutches of Ravana).
Congess is not equally confident of backing the project. It said government should cautiously approach the project.
Now the Director general of the Coast Guards Vice Admiral R F Contractor has said the proposed canal could serve security threat to the country. Indian Meteorological Department had assigned the Palk Bay area as "high risk area" for volcanic and cyclonic activity. Constructing a shipping canal in an area which show tectonic activity is not quite scientific according to experts.

http://sethusamudram.gov.in/WhatisSethu.asp
http://sethusamudram.tamilar.org/


SEZ DEVELOPRERS GO ALL OUT TO WIN OVER GOANS , REVERSE GOVT ORDER

Three companies- Cipla, K.Raheja Corp. and Peninsula Land -whose SEZ projects were scrapped by the GOA Govt have joined hands to take over the Digambar Kamat Govt.

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Project is non-polluting and ideally suited to Goa which has high literacy rate and good English speaking population. Cipla CEO,Amar Lulla said they are in talks with pharmacy colleges to train students and enhance local job opportunities.
Goa cannot rely on tourism alone and SEZ must be considered.


Plan of companies:
Hold exhibitions, distribute pamphlets and educate people about the proposed projects. Promise job reservations and train youths for the appropriate skills.
Address concerns of depleting groundwater and power shortages.

Counterview:
"SEZs does not match the talent skills available in Goa and hence will only further burden the existing infrastructure. We do not think it will create any employment in state,” said noted architect and vice-chairman TF-21, Charles Correa.
Local villagers alleged misappropriations in land sale to real estate majors for setting up malls in state.
Succumbing to the pressure CM Digambar Kamat cancelled notifications of all approved SEZs incurring losses of over Rs.200 crore to cipla and Rs.400 crore to Peninsula Land.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/Goa_govt_cancels_all_SEZs/articleshow/2666017.cms