Jayalalithaa calls Sethusamudram project useless; slams DMK

Describing the Sethusamudram project as a “useless” one that could harm the marine environment badly, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday said Centre had wasted Rs. 830 crore on it.

The project envisages dredging of a shipping channel across the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka.

Campaigning for Anwar Raja, AIADMK candidate from Ramanathapuram constituency, Ms. Jayalalithaa wondered why the DMK was so keen to implement such a project. “Is it for the benefit of the people of the State or for self-interest?” she asked.

She said the project would affect the marine wealth in the sea, including traditional fish population and coral reefs that helped in breeding fish. Besides, it would affect the livelihood of the fishermen, she said.

“AIADMK is opposing the project because fishermen are against it,” Ms. Jayalalithaa said. Besides big ships could not pass through the Sethusamudram channel, she claimed.

Even the State-owned Poompuhar shipping corporation ships, carrying 30 per cent of the coal requirement of thermal power stations of Tamil Nadu would not be able to pass through the channel, she said.

Even for small ships to pass through, the channel should be dredged frequently and recurring expenditure would be heavy she said, opposing the project. AIADMK was planning schemes for people but DMK was planning schemes with self-interest, she alleged.