Click to play videoIndia-Sri Lanka border: While politicians are debating the existence of Lord Ram in a fierce clash of faith, not many are aware of the politics at the ground zero.
CNN-IBN traveled to the Ram Sethu – popularly known as the Adam’s Bridge and presently the epicenter of the political row – to investigate why the ambitious Sethusamudram project is mired in controversy.
The journey began with a one-hour boat ride on the high seas from Dhanushkodi, located on the Tamil Nadu coast.
The project site is located off Tamil Nadu coast and 18 km from the Sri Lanka border. Access to this point is possible only with a special permission from the Indian Navy.
Once at Adam’s Bridge – the mythical Ram Sethu is said to be located right under the sand bed - it’s not tough to understand why the peace there is short-lived.
Local fishermen say the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has hijacked the real issue - the livelihood of the thousands of fishermen settled there – to meet political ends.
They say the dredging of sand from the seabed and the limestone blasting – required for the construction to get underway – will affect fish populations and wreck the fragile marine ecology.
“The break the rocks here using big ships. When all this (debris) is thrown in the fishing area, it affects our livelihood. Our fishing nets are torn due to these broken rocks,” says a fisherman.
One option to resolve the Sethu controversy is possible realignment that could prevent damage from being inflicted on the mythical sight. However, it would also mean dredging of the Indian Ocean bed.
The key question, therefore, seems to be not whether Lord Ram existed but whether the fragile marine ecology and fishermen’s livelihood will be saved from destruction.
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