Saturday, July 23 2005 17:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tirunelveli: Officials from India and Sri Lanka would have discussions on the implementation of the Rs 2427 crore Sethusamudram Shipping Canal project at New Delhi on August 1, Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu said today (July 23, 2005).

Allaying Sri Lanka's fears that the project would harm the interests of that country, he told reporters here that the project was aimed at boosting the country's economic growth and the channel alignment would be located within the territorial waters of India.

The project would pave the way for the development of Kangesanthurai port in Sri Lanka, he said.

Being a friendly neighbour, India was keen on protecting the interests of Sri Lanka and there was perfect coordination between the two countries on the implementation of the project, he said.

Asserting that no adverse impact on the marine environment was reported during the ongoing dredging operations for the project, he said the scientists of Alagappa University, Karaikudi were constantly monitoring the marine environment during the dredging operation by the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) off Point Calimere.

The Sethusamudram Corporation had been directed to update its website on daily basis to enable people and environmentalists to keep a watch over the environmental monitoring results of the dredging operations, he said.

The fishing community had not objected to the project and reports of such opposition came from a political party, which wanted to politicise the issue, Baalu said.

DCI vessels had dredged about 3.90 lakh cubic metres along a seven km stretch out of the allocated channel segment of 13.57 KM in the Palk Strait area, he said.

He assured that no dredging operations would be undertaken in the Gulf of Mannar, where the coral reef of the region was located.

The SSCP is providing employment opportunities for over one lakh people in Tamil Nadu for a period of three years from the inauguration of the project.

He flayed the Tamil Nadu officials for 'lethargy,' on the issue of acquisition of lands and handing it over to the National Highways department.

His Ministry is proposing two schemes for generating employment opportunities in Tamil Nadu.

One for the higher educated, and the other for those who were not able to pursue higher studies and the uneducated.

Various departments are examining the schemes.

"The Government's motto is to provide employment opportunities for more people," he said.

Meanwhile, the Tuticorin Port Trust SSCP Cell, in a release, said the Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd, has received an amount of Rs 62.5 crore towards equity contribution from Government/Joint venture partners and a special advance of Rs 1.78 crore towards the cost of preliminary studies from the Union Government.