Harbouring Apprehension

Lasantha Wickrematunge October 18, 2004 00:00 IST Harbouring Apprehension -0001-11-30T00:00:00+05:53

The alarm bells over the Sethusamudram Project have started ringing in Colombo. Following reports that the project would have serious economic and environmental repercussions on the island nation, the Sri Lanka government has appointed an inter-ministerial panel to look into the implications of the proposed project. It’s feared that once the project is completed, ships will be able to bypass the Galle harbour and the proposed Hambantota harbour in the south—causing heavy financial losses to Sri Lanka.

According to cabinet spokesman and ports minister Mangala Samaraweera, the project carries negative ecological and economic implications for the island. "The cabinet has decided to appoint an inter-ministerial committee to assess the impact and make recommendations on the issue, including interaction with the relevant Indian agencies," Samaraweera says.

The proposed project will have a huge impact on the Hambantota harbour that’ll open on November 19. "There will be adverse effects on the international traffic now using Colombo port and also the envisaged ports at...