Amidst debates on whether "Ram Sethu" was a man-made structure or a natural formation, geological experts, on 28 September, 2007, warned that demolition of Adam's bridge for the implementation of the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP) might trigger natural disasters.
Environmental scientists and geologists who have come under the banner of 'The Movement Against Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project' said the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar area was not only fragile with respect to tectonic movements but also highly sensitive to higher heat flow manifestations coupled with seismically vulnerable nature.
Geological Survey of India (GSI) former Director K Gopalakrishnan said the Adam's Bridge was not merely a group of simple sandy shoal or sandy bars of migratory nature as was being projected by the Centre and project authorities.
"Evidences are available to prove that such physical feature forms a distinct geological, geotectonic, oceanographic and oceanic divide that has got a specific and important role to play as a barrier in controlling different geological and oceanographic activities in this highly fragile and sensitive area," he added.
Destablisation of the multifarious barrier zone of Adam's Bridge would cause submarine landslides, induce earthquakes and earth tremors and lead to tectonic movements along active fault zones bringing about subsidence and submergence of areas, he said.
Though geo-technical evaluation was mandatory for any project, no sub-surface geological survey was conducted for the SSCP, Gopalakrishnan said.
He also questioned why the Centre entrusted NEERI with the responsibility of preparing the Environment Impact Report when the GSI was the competent authority to carry out the work.
He urged the Centre to form a multi-disciplinary committee to go into the vulnerability of the project.
Dr Arunachalam, an environmental scientist and Associate professor in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, said the project would be a major man-made stressor to fragile ecosystms such as Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar.
Apart from the loss of biodiversity, the changes brought about by breaking the Adam's Bridge would result in thorough alteration to the coromandel coast and the Indian Ocean which might lead to conditions detrimental to mankind by way of cyclones or tsunami, he added.
As the country was completely relying on the monsoon for fresh water resources and livelihood, the changes might bring a condition of floods and droughts by monsoonal changes in oceans near India, he said.
Environmental scientists and geologists who have come under the banner of 'The Movement Against Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project' said the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar area was not only fragile with respect to tectonic movements but also highly sensitive to higher heat flow manifestations coupled with seismically vulnerable nature.
Geological Survey of India (GSI) former Director K Gopalakrishnan said the Adam's Bridge was not merely a group of simple sandy shoal or sandy bars of migratory nature as was being projected by the Centre and project authorities.
"Evidences are available to prove that such physical feature forms a distinct geological, geotectonic, oceanographic and oceanic divide that has got a specific and important role to play as a barrier in controlling different geological and oceanographic activities in this highly fragile and sensitive area," he added.
Destablisation of the multifarious barrier zone of Adam's Bridge would cause submarine landslides, induce earthquakes and earth tremors and lead to tectonic movements along active fault zones bringing about subsidence and submergence of areas, he said.
Though geo-technical evaluation was mandatory for any project, no sub-surface geological survey was conducted for the SSCP, Gopalakrishnan said.
He also questioned why the Centre entrusted NEERI with the responsibility of preparing the Environment Impact Report when the GSI was the competent authority to carry out the work.
He urged the Centre to form a multi-disciplinary committee to go into the vulnerability of the project.
Dr Arunachalam, an environmental scientist and Associate professor in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, said the project would be a major man-made stressor to fragile ecosystms such as Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar.
Apart from the loss of biodiversity, the changes brought about by breaking the Adam's Bridge would result in thorough alteration to the coromandel coast and the Indian Ocean which might lead to conditions detrimental to mankind by way of cyclones or tsunami, he added.
As the country was completely relying on the monsoon for fresh water resources and livelihood, the changes might bring a condition of floods and droughts by monsoonal changes in oceans near India, he said.
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