JUSTICE DAVID ANNOUSWAMY HANDED OVER NANDHIVARMAN's ARCHIVAL FILES 10 SEPTEMBER 2017

SEA EROSION AND PONDICHERRY

CHANGING TAMILNADU COAST

N.Nandhivarman , General Secretary Dravida Peravai

 Tamils lack sense of history. This inherent ingredient of the Tamil people is responsible for lack of recorded history at the time when every country woke up to construct its history on facts. We have to mainly depend on the literary evidences to write our history. The epic Silapathigaram gave us an insight into the landmass that is lost in the Indian Ocean.

Now we have other sources to confirm our literary references. With the knowledge explosion, thanks to the internet revolution, we get lot of information. To understand the past history of the Tamils inclusive of Pondicherry and to foresee its future we have to know about continental drifts and the theory of plate tectonics.

"The theory of continental drift that the continents move relative to one another was proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1910. It was not until 1945 that Arthur Holmes suggested a mechanism for the process-convection in the mantle. Complete evidences to convince more scientists those plate tectonics the movement of larger segments of the outermost shell of the earth as a mosaic of large rigid plates was not accomplished until the 1960's...."

The Department of Geological Sciences of the Canadian University of Saskatchewan in its web pages states that Plate Tectonics is the unifying theory that explains almost all the processes at work on the planet. To understand the evolution of our planet and to have a coherent idea on earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain belts, ocean basins and the topography of the sea floor, scholars are relying on the theory of plate tectonics.

Alfred Wagener known as the Father of Continental drift in his publication of 1912 said that " Looking at a global map it would appear that the continents could be brought together to fit like a jig saw puzzle" Mankind is one and this stands proven once again by the geological fact that continents were together at one time and drifted apart. Now everyone accepts that as solid upper Earth floats on astheno-sphere, the litho-sphere drifts".

The Earths crust since its formative years dating back to 4.6 million years is in constant motion. "Broken into a patchwork of plates and floating on currents in the fluid visco-plastic upper mantle beneath, the plates continuously collide and pull apart. The continental crust is significantly less dense than either oceanic crust or the upper mantle rocks. Some more proofs are given below.

                        

The formation of Himalayan Mountains is due to the fact that Indian sub continent moving northwards buckling up material while colluding with the Asian continent. The scientists of the Earth Observatory of Columbia University New York confirm that the Indo-Australian plate south of Equator in the Indian Ocean area has broken into two and each is moving in one direction. In the last 50 million years Indian sub continent is drifting at 5 centimeters a year towards North. Tibetan plateau and Himalayas bear the brunt of this mounting pressure. The Altyn Tagh fault i.e. geo-fracture extends 2200 kilometers in Western China...........

KARAIPIDAGAI POWER PROJECT:2009

PUBLIC HEARING ON

KARAIPIDAGAI POWER PROJECT:2009

The Collector of Nagapattinam District                                    30.10.2K9

Officials of Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board.

Respected Representatives of the Government of Tamilnadu

On the eve of the public hearing on the proposed1820 MW Coal Based Power Plant by M/s. Tridem Port and Power Co. Ltd., & 150 MW Coal Based Power Plant by M/s. Nagapattinam Energy Pvt. Ltd, we are submitting our views to oppose the coal based thermal power plants.

We would like to bring to your notice that within Union Cabinet there is difference of opinion which came to public light after The Hindu, a daily carried out the following news:

▼ The Hindu, English daily reported on July 5 th of 2009 that Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh has written to Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde seeking to put an end to laying of foundation stones for projects without proper and formal clearances and advising all state power PSUs like National Thermal Power Corporation, National Hydro Power Corporation , Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation to show greater sensitivity to environmental concerns at the highest level.

Under such situation we would urge the Nagapattinam District Administration and Tamil nadu Government to have a re-think on all coal based thermal power projects.

▼  Recent news from our neighbor China as reported in China Daily dated October 28 th of 2009 states that Chinese Environment ministry had suspended or rejected 29 applications of new construction in petrochemical, steel-making and electricity-generating industries with a total investment of 146.7 billion yuan (US$21.5 billion).Chinese government has promised that its economic stimulus plan would not compromise anti-pollution efforts and policies would not be loosened to allow more projects to pass environmental examinations. Environmental Protection Minister Zhou Shengxian said the government would abide by strict environmental standards when evaluating new projects.

Unfortunately Tamilnadu is not observing strict environmental standards. It craves for power at all costs.

►Tamilnadu has 4 major thermal power plants producing 2970 MW of power. The Hindu, daily dated 6 th February 2009 carries a confession by the Chairman of Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board. Mr.R.Balakrishnan admits that thermal power plants in coastal areas of the state are not meeting pollution control standards. If truth could come out of Chairman’s mouth, our voices in protesting power plants stands justified by international, national and regional yardsticks.

► Thermal Power Plant in Tuticurin, a joint venture between Neyveli Lignite Corporation 89% and Tamilnadu Electricity Board with 11% stake is a 4000 crore project aiming to generate 1000 MW. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and Tamilnadu Electricity Board have joined together to start 1600 MW power project at a cost of Rs.8700 crore in Tuticurin District.

The coal from Neyveli has to be carried by congested roads to Tuticurion. It can be argued that it goes within our state from one part to other. Also by sea route coal may get transported. One can say within the source of raw material i.e. our state power project comes up.

Even this could be assimilated for argument sake but not bringing 4.6 million tons of coal annually from Orissa to Ennore port in order to enable Tamilnadu Energy Company, a joint venture between National Thermal Power Corporation and Tamilnadu Electricity Board to generate 1000 MW at Vallur in Tiruvallore District of Tamilnadu. The cost is 4500 crores.

█There is a national policy to set up power plants near mine heads, where coal is mined. Under such policy instead of bringing coal from Orissa to Ennore, Tamilnadu could have planned to set up power plant in Orissa and pass on power to national grid and then draw equal quantum here through national grid. By this way Tamilnadu could have had power as well as avoided unnecessary construction of new harbors and unnecessary pollution of our soil.

Mind boggling statistics reveals that Ashok Leyland Project, First Corp Petrochem project, UTL Utility Systems project, Essar Power, GMR Power, Trichy Power Project and Coal and Oil Company of Dubai’s project which have planned to produce 1000 MW power each could be avoided if the policy to set power projects at mine head is observed. After all even if power projects are set up same Orissa and Bihar labour have to be brought to work here, since all industries of Tamilnadu and Puducherry uniformly follow a policy to engage only Orissa and Bihar labour and never to disturb local labour from watching free television and eating Rs 1 per kg rice given by noble leader Dr.Kalaignar.

Empee Power and Infrastructure Ltd aim generation of 1200 MW. A company from Spain aims 2000 MW. Then comes the 4000 MW power project by National Thermal Power Corporation near Thirukuvalai, Chief Minister Dr.Kalaignar’s birth place. Central University coming in his home district is welcome but not polluting industries. The rice bowl of Tamilnadu should have agro-based industries and should promote agriculture and fisheries, the traditional people pursuing these professions for centuries or millennium. Similarly 2000 MW power project near Cheyyur also will erase the ecology of Kaluveli tank; a place of haven for migratory birds, and the tourism potential of ECR road will have to be wiped out to dump fly ash everywhere, congesting roads with coal transport.

We urge the Tamilnadu Government to re-think its energy policy. The Memorandum of Understanding signed with Tri-Sakthi Energy P Ltd for 525 MW of power. India Power project, SPIC Energy Private Limited, Chennai Power Company etc for 1000 MW each and Cuddalore Thermal Power Project to generate 1320 MW too are coal based. Reliance plans 3000 MW power project. All these projects are coal based environmental hazards.

☼☼►Dravida Peravai lauds only 2 initiatives of Tamil Nadu Power Minister. The Memorandum of Understanding signed with an American firm for generating sea solar power is welcome. The Project that comes in Udangudi of Tuticurin District to generate 100 MW of Solar Thermal Power is welcome. As on January 31^st of 2009 out of total national production of 9756 MW of wind energy Tamilnadu produces 42 percent and this is a good development. We whole heartedly welcome these solar, wind, and ocean thermal power projects. But we oppose the Coal based Thermal Power projects that are coming up in Nagapattinam Districts, for which this public enquiry is called for.

►National Thermal Power Corporation of India is pumping 500 million US dollars in a joint venture with Ceylon Electricity Board to set up a power project at Sampur in Srilanka. India that could not ensure safety sail for Indian fishermen in Bay of Bengal more particularly in Gulf of Mannar and Pak Straits is going to ferry coal to Srilanka from Orissa. From Anuradhapura in Srilanka to Thalaimannar of Tamilnadu both India and Srilanka had planned under sea link to transmit power at a cost of Rs 2200 crore. India that for 30 years had not linked its rivers to help Indian farmers, but now wants to link Srilanka and Tamilnadu by under sea link to bring power to boost the growth of all polluting industries in Tamil soil. If India had annexed Tamil areas of Srilanka and merged North and East Districts of Srilanka with Tamilnadu and created a Tamilnadu State within Indian Union on both sides of Pak Straits, then such link between Tamil states may be welcomed but not the current project.

► Dravida Peravai mooted an idea when the undersigned was Trustee in Tuticurin Port Trust, and took up with Planning Commission and through then Defence Minister Comrade George Fernandes apprised then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the need to create a National Seaway Authority like National Highways. Every state government has minor and intermediary ports under its control but they are idle monuments with no revenue generation with the exception of Gujarat’s minor ports. Hence to interlink these 138 minor and intermediary ports for passenger and cargo traffic, creation of such authority is must, we suggested. Accepting that during his visit to Kanyakumari, then Prime Minister announced Sagar Mala scheme for this purpose, which is yet to take off. We now also urge Indian Government and Tamilnadu Government to go for reviving that idea, to use existing harbors for passenger and cargo traffic, thereby creating jobs for educated fishermen coming out of maritime university. It will ease traffic congestion in roads. Unfortunately the regular hidden incomes through frequent laying of roads will be the only loss to the officials and political bosses. Instead of using Sagar mala scheme to purposefully use existing harbours there seems to be a craze to allow harbours under private only to ferry coal to coal based power plants. This ridiculous policy causes the new creation of Ports in Nagapattinam District which we oppose.

▼Tamilnadu must give clearance to biomass power plants. Times of India dated 29 th October 2009 states that 9 companies have approached Tamilnadu Energy Development Agency for permissions to start biomass power plants. Tamilnadu Electricity Board must give clearance for these 9 companies to generate 487 MW of power. The speed with which clearances came for coal based power projects is lacking here, that too for small quantum of power, which can be termed as tokenism too TN Government lacks political will. The biomass energy produced currently is 111 MW writes Vivek Narayanan in Times of India. Hence according clearances for clean energy is must in days when we sing lullabies on climate change.

▼If India has to reduce its carbon emissions; it would mean a major reorientation of her energy strategy, especially if that warranted a shift from its current coal-based to an oil and gas based energy system. Murthy, Panda and Parikh (2000) examined the consequences of alternative CO2 emission reduction strategies on economic development and, in particular, the implications for the poor by empirically implementing an economy-wide model across India over a 35-year time horizon. A multi-sectoral, inter-temporal model is used for this purpose. The model has specific technological alternatives and endogenous income distribution with dynamic behavior; it covers the whole economy in an integrated top-down-bottom-up model. Such alternative thinking must dawn on Tamilnadu Government.

▼International Seabed Authority under the auspices of United Nations has earmarked 1,50,000 square kilometers of sea bed in Indian Ocean for mining of cobalt, nickel , copper etc. We are not aware whether any such area is earmarked in Bay of Bengal. If the pursuit to mine sea-bed begins apart from natural gas to minerals, the traditional living sources of fishermen will be totally robbed from them. Even after Exclusive Economic Zones have been earmarked under International Law of Seas by United Nations, the fishermen of India particularly Tamil fishermen could not tap the fish wealth in their countries exclusive zones. Foreign fishing vessels creep in, sneak in, and poach in our zones, and fishermen with catamarans cannot compete. Fish wealth is near their eyes yet their country allows sharks from other nations to rob that instead of arming Indian fishermen with finances and schemes to make a better livelihood. The policy to uproot people from their traditional professions is suicidal, cynical, unethical and anti-national. Yet hand in glove with corporate world that greases their palms for petty gains and better lives today, our political masters are ruining traditional fishermen and agriculturalists depriving them a decent livelihood, thus earning a historical curse on them for their historical blunder.

▼ In precious stone rich Jharkand and Orissa, mining of this wealth which remained in the bowels of earth over which indigenous tribal peoples lived for millions of years is bartered to corporate world. Dravida Peravai had incorporated in its party manifesto that if a dam is constructed or project is set up uprooting people, such uprooted people and all villagers over which these projects come up must be made share holders in the projects that come up. Share the profits with the displaced people, compensate permanently elevating the lives of the deprived than throwing paltry pittance to political class, companies must be told. This includes the harbour and power project that comes up in Nagapattinam District. If a power project comes in Chief Ministers home village, all its villagers must be made share holders in that projects, all the jobs must be given to every educated youth forbidding total hiring of outsiders, and if talent is needed it should be only from Tamilnadu. No contracts labour system, because Chief Minister’s home village must emulate a national model for development. Let Tamilnadu plan projects that will not aggravate our climate change. Let Tamilnadu go for clean technologies to generate power like Sweden. If our Chief Minister cannot make Tamilnadu a Sweden in energy, a cleaner Singapore in environment, then no one else in India can envisage and transform people’s lives.

With Regards

Yours fraternally

N.Nandhivarman

General Secretary Dravida Peravai

DRAVIDA PERAVAI IN STRUGGLE AGAINST POOMPUHAR POWER PROJECT

FIGHT AGAINST POOMPUHAR

POWER PROJECT :2009

The Collector of Nagapattinam District                                        23.09.2009

Tamilnadu

Respected Collector

Subject: Historical and Environmental reasons cited to oppose the proposed Thermal Power plant regarding

We appreciate the District Collector of Nagapattinam for calling for this public enquiry. Our views will be in Tamil’s historical interest and the traditional rights of indigenous communities like fishermen and farmers of Tamilnadu.

Pichavaram to Kodikarai is highly important area for unearthing our civilization since ancient harbours existed in this belt with hidden heritage at sea. It needs to be subjected to researches   highly important for marine archaeology and coastal archaeology.

Already 250 km out of 1076 km of Tamilnadu coast is without fishermen. The need for preserving the catamaran people and their traditional knowledge is important. Hence all development projects must aim at protecting indigenous communities like fishermen and farmers and should not uproot them from where for centuries they made a livelihood. In fact more assistance to these communities with new scientific equipments would enable them to earn more foreign exchange to our country’s coffers than offering soaps at the cost of public exchequer to projects of plunder. Generating alternative renewable energy like ocean thermal energy, ocean tidal energy will be more helpful. Developed countries have bid adieu to thermal power. Coal bearing ships and conveyer arrangement will be hazard for the coastal area and will stimulate global warming through carbon discharge. The waste generated from plant will create pollution at sea .Thoothukudi lost its pearl culture of the past cultural heritage by the non ocean oriented people. Bearing these in mind we urge the Government of Tamilnadu to stall all thermal power projects coming up in Nagapattinam District, more particularly the one near Poompuhar.

▼ We all are aware that apart from the Indus Valley excavations, equally important cities of our ancient civilization could not so far be unearthed in South India due to our own lethargy. We have stone inscriptions, copper plates and burial pots and this is not sufficient to establish the greatness of our past. Our literary evidences on submergence of ancient Tamil land illuminate us about our past but western scholars look for more scientific proof. Hence there is a need for undersea-archaeological search to find out our roots. No other ethnic group of Earth possesses so much literary evidences but remains lazy to go to the submerged cities of their ancient land. Though we have a place named as Poompuhar where Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi during his rule erected monuments to recapture the past, it could only serve as tourist spot and could not satiate a researcher’s quest to unravel a hidden city of our ancient civilization beneath the bowels of our sea in Bay of Bengal. We all know about the changes that continuously occur and the ancient Port City of Chozha Empire is not the Poompuhar of our times, but it is within the sea nearer or far to current Poompuhar’s coast.

▼ Graham Hancock wrote many books out of which Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilization by Crown Publishers, New York 2002 containing 760 pages ISBN 1400046122 hardback priced $ 27.50 is of relevance to our Poompuhar. He undertook marine archaeology in 2002 and brought out as reported in Dinamani that a city with 9500 year old civilization remains hidden off coast of Poompuhar. [Dinamani news clipping enclosed] His earlier books Fingerprints of the Gods and Heaven’s Mirror had mentioned about his findings. But in this latest book, he lays out evidence “based on modern scientific research, comparative mythology, religious and spiritual observances, first hand diving exploration of underwater megalithic structures and ancient maps to demonstrate the likelihood that a technically advanced civilization unrecognized by modern science capable of navigating the globe and with a profound understanding of architecture and building existed and was washed out by global flooding”.

▼Inundation maps created by Dr.Glen Milne of Durham University shows vast tracts of mostly coastal land which were submerged by three waves of cataclysmic flooding between 17,000 and 8000 years ago. Nearly 5 percent of Earth’s surface or 25 million square kilometers of land stands submerged. These maps and other sources made Graham Hancock to set his foot in Tamilnadu. Graham Hancock used scuba diving and found many artifacts and evidences roughly 2000 pieces which he displayed in Bangalore exhibition, as per media reports of the day. Graham Hancock had updated Tamil history to 9500 years old.

▼We like parrots were repeating 2000 years as time limit of our ancient civilization, and when Graham Hancock updated Tamil history with fresh facts, the Government of Tamilnadu which is going to celebrate World Tamil Conference, must take pains to employ more scuba divers and marine archaeologists to find out about our Kaveripoompattinam. We should honour Graham Hancock in that Conference.

▼The coast or sea near Poompuhar should not be plundered and kept free from industrialization if our ancient glory brought out powerfully by Dr.Kalaignar had to be proven scientifically. Mr. Graham Hancock investigated about our “Kumari Kandam, an anti-diluvia civilization said to have existed thousands of years ago around South India. It is believed to have been a greater center of learning with magnificent academies which may have left a legacy of cartographic and astronomical knowledge which exists today in the ancient Indian texts. Interestingly the author spoke to local fishermen who described often diving to free their nets caught on underwater temples and columns, pyramidal pagodas and buildings with doorways”.

▼Coinciding to our Poompuhar, in Gulf of Cambay to city which is 7500 years old was found but media highlighted that and did not do justice to Poompuhar’s findings. If a scientist within few weeks with the help of National Institute of Oceanography could bring out so many artifacts, is it not the duty of Tamilnadu Chief Minister Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi who instilled in our hearts the greatness of Poompuhar by his powerful pen to employ all scientists, marine archaeologists, scuba divers, and constitute a multi disciplinary State-Sponsored Task Force under Anna University and Tamil University of Thanjavur to explore our exclusive economic zone and our territorial waters in Bay of Bengal at least to begin with to pick up the thread from where Mr. Graham Hancock left in 2002.

▼▼ Dravida Peravai hence appeals to the District Collector of Nagapattinam in the public hearing on Public Hearing on the proposed 2x500 MW Coal Based Power Plant by M/s. PEL Power Ltd to stop this power project.  Allowing such plants to be set up here with whatever technology will disrupt the scientific and historical research that is needed to unearth our past beneath Bay of Bengal off Poompuhar. We are enclosing a map which shows how much land near our coast had been submerged.

This is an indication of how much more land would have been submerged for centuries running into thousands of years back. My article Save the Coast in New Indian Express is enclosed. Letting out effluents or dumping waste into rivers and seas had been going on unabated though technically they will promise to use clean technology and blinded by that promise our environmental agencies will give them clearance. First of all we should bear in mind what all technology we get is outmoded and unwanted in developed countries, hence such technologies are dumped on developing countries like India. If we are really a super power we should follow the Swedish precedent to completely abandon thermal power projects to save its environment. Here it is not only to save our environment but also to prove to the world we are an ancient civilization, we need to keep Poompuhar coast and seas close to Poompuhar free from industrial garbage and litter.

▼Coal based power projects are being set up in Tamilnadu coast. There seems to be a policy which permits setting up of power plants near coal mines, so that through National Power grid equivalent quantum of power can reach the power seeking State. Under this policy a current Union Minister of State before he came to power got a Coal Block allotted in Orissa.In this project of a Tamilnadu politician Puducherry Government’s PIPDIC is a partner. This joint venture plans to set up power project in Orissa to generate power and pass on to the grid so that Puducherry Government will get power without polluting the Union Territory of Puducherry. If a tiny state like Puducherry could follow this route, what compulsion prevails for Tamilnadu to bring coal all the way by ships to set up a power plant in the Nagapattinam coast that too near ancient Port city of Poompuhar?

▼ There seems to be a race to set up more and more ports without planning what products could be brought in or exported from these ports. The Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he visited Kanyakumari announced a scheme called Sagar Mala, which means Garland of the Seas. In fact I mooted the suggestion to create a National Seaway on the lines of National Highways to introduce ship connectivity to all the 138 minor or intermediary ports to bring inland cargo that was coming by Lorries and to ferry passengers. This suggestion through Planning Commission reached then Prime Minister who wanted to make use of existing infrastructure to connect all ports in Indian coast. At that time only Gujarat particularly Gujarat Maritime Board was making good use of its minor ports.

Tamilnadu which launched a Poompuhar Shipping Corporation under DMK rule lost the race by making its vessels ferry coal and did not think of diverting cargo and passengers from road use to sea lanes. Roads could be re-laid year by year but traffic congestion, loss of lives, making more and more lanes, land acquisition etc could be avoided if our existing ports could be connected under the Sagar mala scheme of Vajpayee. Instead opening new ports with no cargo to handle breeds even sand smuggling to Maldives which was caught red handed by you, the Hon’ble Collector. Hence we Dravida Peravai, a splinter of DMK but with great regard for Dr.Kalaignar in view of personal friendship undiminished by parting of ways, urge Nagapattinam to accord to priority to unearth our ancient city of Kaveripoompattinam and keep this coast free from polluting industrialization.

▼Interestingly the National Institute of Oceanography , Chennai had announced that its scientists in collaboration with Experimental Design Bureau of Oceanological Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences  had developed a vehicle named ROSUB 6000 capable of exploring the ocean up to a depth of 6 kilometers and can be remotely operated. Though we have to go further deep not only off the coast of Poompuhar but also even beyond our exclusive economic zone, this vehicle could be used to gather further evidences on our submerged Port City of Poompuhar.

▼International Seabed Authority has allocated 150,000 square kilometers of seabed in the Indian Ocean to India for exploration of cobalt, manganese, nickel and copper which are in the form of polymetalic nodules. Well Government of India will be happily exploring Indian Ocean for minerals and metals but let Government of Tamilnadu explore Indian Ocean to discover the lost continent of Kumari and the Port Cities of Chera, Chozha and Pandyas, including the ancient capitals of Thonmadurai and Kavadapuram which our literature speaks.

With Regards

Yours sincerely

N.Nandhivarman

General Secretary Dravida Peravai

Power at people’s cost Polluting Tamilnadu coast

Tamilnadu : Power at people’s cost

Polluting its coast

 N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai

 PLUNDERING EAST COAST ROAD ENVIRONMENT : 2007

The need for power should not be met at the cost of plundering our environment in East Coast Road. During the visit of Union Power Minister Shusil Kumar Shinde it was announced that 2 power plants would be set up closer to East Coast Road. Immediately Dravida Peravai sent a detailed memorandum to the Union Minister for Power. Later Dr.S.Ramdass, founder of PMK protested. Thereafter the Tamil Nadu Power Minister Arcot N.Veerasamy had gone on record that Cheyyur Thermal power plant will be dropped but Marakanam project will take off. In this background to awaken the Union Government to evolve a Power Policy keeping in mind of global initiatives in renewable energy quest, Dravida Peravai memorandum dated 10 th September 2007 is given below in verbatim.

Our objections to the 2 proposed Mega Thermal Power Projects off East Coast Road

During your recent visit you had announced that the Union Government will be sending an official team to Tamilnadu to study the possibility of setting up one more ultra mega power project, as reported in the media. Though we agree on the need to enhance our power capacity it should not be at the cost of great human sufferings uprooting people practicing traditional professions practiced beyond 2000 years. In your interview you had mentioned that Tamilnadu Power Minister Thiru.Arcot N.Veerasamy had suggested Marakanam for setting up of 4000 MW capacity ultra mega power project. The Tamilnadu Power Minister had stated that Center had already finalized Cheyyur as the site of one mega power project. We are here opposing the 2-mega power projects and our views are submitted for your perusal.

An attempt was made by National Thermal Power Corporation in 1999 to set up a power plant in Cheyyur when Thiru.Rangarajan Kumaramangalam was Union Minister of Power. The Hindu, a national daily with concern for people alerted people and rulers on Sunday March 21, 1999 issue in a front page story by Thiru.Mukund Padmanabhan under the heading: Proposed Power Plant will be in a Lagoon. “The 3000 acres to be made available to NPTC in five villages in the Cheyyur area lie in low lying area into which there is copious flow of rainwater from the surrounding uplands and a little seawater ingress. The picturesque water body which attracts a large number of birds and is used for fishing acts as storm water run off for an estimated 42 villages in Cheyyur area” wrote Thiru Mukund Padmanabhan a senior journalist in The Hindu.

Dravida Peravai heeded to the warning signals unleashed by Thiru.Mukund Padmanabhan and wrote to the Indian Prime Minister Thiru.Atal Bihari Vajpayee on April 2 of 1999.Dravida Peravai having been admitted as associate party of Samata party and which remained a special invitee to its National Executive ever since 1997 December, had the moral support of Comrade George Fernandes. Hence our memorandum did in fact act as an eye opener. In our memorandum dated April 2 of 1999, we had urged upon the Union Government to adopt the internationally practiced precautionary principle in preventing pollution.” The term precautionary principle was raised by the German delegation at first North Sea Conference in 1984 when faced with the problem of dealing with one of the world’s most contaminated seas. Since then the approach had been adopted by a number of regulatory regimes including Oslo and Paris Commissions (1989), The UNEP Governing Council (1989), Nordic Council (1989), The Bergen Declaration (1990), The London Convention (1991), The Bamako Convention (1991) The Barcelona Convention (1991) and The UNEP Rio UNCED Declaration (1992).

On September 8, 2007-Asia-Pacific leaders agreed and adopted a "long-term aspiration goal" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region in support of the U.N global efforts, announced Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Under the Sydney Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development, the goals are to reduce energy intensity by at least 25 percent by 2030 from the 2005 level, and to increase forest cover in the region by at least 20 million hectares of all types of forests by 2020. The non-binding numerical targets indicate that APEC leaders wish to throw their political muscle behind an international push to avert the worst consequences of a warming planet. This is the first year that leaders from the 21 APEC member economies have included climate change discussions in their annual summit.

While other countries follow precautionary principle in India we neither have the intention nor the political will to arrest pollution of our seas, rivers and water bodies. While Salman Khan’s are arrested for single killings, in Cheyyur and Marakanam all the migratory birds to these water bodies have to loose their natural habitat and the offenders will go scot-free.

LET US HAVE A LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS FACED BY OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE OPTED FOR THERMAL POWER PLANTS:

Quoting China Daily news [Sept 9-2007] “ China’s environmental watchdog warned in Beijing that booming thermal power plants may worsen China's acid rain pollution if their sulfur dioxide emission is not well controlled. Pan Yue, vice-director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), made the remark when reporting to the press the crackdown against the Guiyang thermal power plant in the southwestern province of Guizhou, which had put the newly built power set into use without the desulphurization equipment. "Thermal power plants discharge a large proportion of the country's total sulfur dioxide emission. If their emissions are not well controlled, the acid rain pollution will probably worsen, “Pan said. Although China's power production and generation capacity reached the second place of the world by the end of 2003, they still cannot satisfy the soaring economy's appetite for energy. Reportedly China will suffer from severe power shortage this summer. There are already 24 provinces and municipalities, which set limits on industrial and civil use of electricity. Thermal power plants, accounting for 74 percent of total power supply, spring up to fill the gap.

Exhaust gas discharged by thermal power plants, which are based on coal burning, contains abundant sulfur dioxide a chemical causing acid rain. Statistics show that China's annual sulfur dioxide emission, of which thermal power emission makes up 34.6 percent, exceeds the maximum of environmental capacity by 80 percent. The resulting acid rain costs annual loss of 110 billion Yuan (US$13.3 billion), two or three percent of the annual Gross Domestic Production. China's laws and regulations state that the desulphurization equipment must be designed, built, and put into operation simultaneously with the power sets. Unfortunately, most investors are too eager for instant profits to stick to the rule, according to Pan. SEPA updated the environmental standards for thermal power plants in March, which tightens their sulfur dioxide emission. SEPA also demands all plants install an exhaust gas monitoring system, which could be connected to SEPA's central server. To reduce the thermal power sulfur dioxide emission to 7.84 billion tons in 2020, 80 percent of thermal power plants have to set up the desulphurization equipment before 2005. Besides, SEPA will enforce economic policies including implementing an emission licensing system, add desulphurization cost to the power price and raise the sulfur dioxide emission fee.

CHINA FACES A PROBLEM AND IT HAS ACTED TO CONTAIN POLLUTION DO WE IN INDIA, OR DO OUR COMMUNIST COMRADES DO NECESSARY HOMEWORK TO OPPOSE THERMAL POWER PLANTS? After all China shows the way and it is not America, hence they need not feel embarrassed to oppose thermal power plants and the pollution unleashed by such plants. In 1997 the E.U.-15 member states set themselves the task of doubling Europe’s renewable energy sources from 6 percent to 12 percent by 2010. A decade later, even though the contribution from renewable sources had increased in absolute terms by 55 percent, the E.U.’s new Renewable Energy Roadmap admitted that not only was 12 percent unfeasible, but a figure well below 10 percent was more realistic. By January 2007, the original E.U.-15 member states (the E.U. had expanded to 27 states by then) had actually achieved a figure of only 6.4 percent from renewable sources. So when the E.U. summit in March 2007 upped the renewable energy sources target to 20 percent by 2020, its acknowledgment that the target would prove “challenging” was viewed by most energy insiders as something of a gross understatement. The Roadmap stated that Europe’s renewable share was growing too slowly. To speed things up, a plan was devised for the main sectors: electricity bio-fuels for transport, and heating and cooling. The Roadmap sees electricity as the key sector for producing genuine progress. It argues that if all of the 27 E.U. member states made their national quotas on renewable for 2010 in this sector, the proportion of electricity consumption from renewable would be 21 percent. But only nine E.U. member states – Denmark, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands – are in fact on track. The reality is that unless the present trends change, the E.U. will achieve a target approaching at best 19 percent. IN INDIA: “In Jharkhand about 9,000 tones of fly ash is being generated everyday from the coal based thermal power plants with present generation of about 1500 MW. Fortunately, the state is utilizing over fifty present of the fly ash through environmentally sound techniques such as abandoned mine reclamation, Cement Manufacturing, Brick manufacturing etc. Damodar valley Corporation is reclaiming Central Coalfield Limited (CCL) abandoned mine using its pond ash, Tata Power at Jhamshedpur is feeding all its fly ash to Lafarge Cement, ACC and other cement plants. Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board has taken a lead in the utilization of fly ash in the Sate with the co-operation of Thermal Power Plants, Mining Industries, Cement Industries, Brick manufacture etc” If in 1500 MW Thermal power plant 9000 tones of fly ash is generated in Jharkand as per Jharkand Pollution Control Board’s statistics, In Cheyyur 4000 MW mega power plant will generate 36,000 tones of fly ash polluting the entire ECR road, about which Deepa H.Ramakrishnan of The Hindu wrote as The Road Beckons [Metro plus Sept 8 of 2007]. The Road Stinks may be her article if she travels next year in same ECR Road. The Swedish Energy System: Role Model for India Electricity production in Sweden is basically fossil-free. Approximately half of the electricity production comes from hydropower and the remainder is provided by nuclear power. Swedish scientists were among the first to discover the effects of acid rain; this was a focal point in the first UN Environmental Conference in Stockholm in 1972, twenty years before the following conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Swedish industry was also among early world pioneers in demonstrating the first technological solutions for flue gas desulphurization. We live in a world which is known now as global village. If we fail to follow the footsteps of pioneers and opt for outdated un-clean technologies, it is a national shame to the genius of India. Our Planning Commission will have hundreds of committee reports arguing all good things on earth but all remain in paper and only lip service is rendered. Sweden shows the way and our planners will have all blueprints for future ready in their shelves but our Ministers opt for unclean technologies, may be because of other considerations

DROP CHEYYUR –MARAKANAM

THERMAL POWER PROJECTS

Dravida Peravai urges the Government of India to have a rethink on starting many more thermal power plants, and we oppose the proposed Cheyyur and Marakanam power projects on the following grounds.· The formal classification in the land registry-adangal records declare that the 2888.06 acres meant for the project is an area comprising salt puramboke and grazing land. In reality it is a waterbody.Survey number 352 at Mudaliarkuppam [274.12 acres] and Survey number 359[ 103.32 acres] under Panaiyur villages where National Thermal Power Corporation plans to have the fly ash disposal plant and main site are in fact are water bodies. We are aware of how fly ash is disposed in Ennore Thermal Power Plant and how Pulicut Lake has become dead lake with pollution and waste dumping. Similar fate will befall Kaluveli Tank.· National Thermal Power Corporation in 1999 short listed 4 sites Kovalam near Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Cheyyur and a site beyond Cuddalore. Two days ago a private company which was planning to set up a Power Project near Cuddalore had to face the people’s anger when the District Collector of Cuddalore convened a consultative meeting. Police lathi charged and arrested many villagers of Thiagavalli near Cuddalore in September 2007.TamilNadu electricity Minister Arcot Veerasamy is uprooting people when their traditional dwellings in order to fill his personal overflowing coffers, people have started to gossip about the fortunes made.Kovalam is a Beach, Mahabalipuram a tourist spot of historical antiquity.Cheyyur where NPTC took the first step, they were halted by our agitations. Now Cheyyur has become once again the target of evil eyes which want to spoil the natural beauty of our coast. Marakanam, an ancient Port known then as Eyilpattinam is the centre of salt pans providing livelihood for thousands for centuries.

Dravida Peravai does not see any valid argument for shifting the focus from tourism promotion exploiting the nature’s bounty of our beaches to thermal power generation and converting water bodies as dumping grounds of waste and polluting the air apart from driving salt pan workers out of jobs. · The argument advanced by Tamilnadu Electricity Minister to bring coal from Orissa by ships, Marakanam harbour will be of use, is just wishful thinking. Apart from 12 major ports which are governed by Major Port Trusts Act, none of the 138 minor or intermediary ports under the control of various governments are functioning ports. Neither they are economical, viable, profitable for public utility. All minor ports with the exception of minor ports under Gujarat Maritime Board remain monuments of wasteful expenditure. On the way to Chennai in ECR Road we can see Cyclone Shelters in depilated conditions, which are another monument of wasteful expenditure. There had been no plan on how to use these shelters apart from cyclone times; hence they remain without maintenance and use. To develop Marakanam as Port just to bring coal will also meet the same fate. All moneys pumped into development of minor ports by various state governments have led to criminal and wasteful expenditure. This is because the Union Government has no national policy to reduce the traffic congestion in our surface transport.

 We have the longest coast in east and west of our peninsula. If only the Union Government had heeded to various memorandums/press statements/port trust minutes, wherein Dravida Peravai had mentioned and argued the need to create a National Seaway Authority and frame policies for cargo/passenger ferries interconnecting these minor ports, travel in roads would be eased in congestion. Only on the event of shifting focus from lorry and rail cargo carrying to carrying cargo by ships and only when inducing people to travel by ships with well connected chain between all minor ports of the country, then ventures like developing Marakanam Port will become profitable. Focus on utilizing our ports for people’s usage is missing but focus is on wasting money on port development. Can Government of India order a study on the investments made by various State Governments in the name of developing minor ports and the yields from such investments? If such a probe is made you can find all moneys have created assets which yield nothing draining the public exchequer.· We understand that there prevails a policy wherein the power generating project need not be situated in states where power is consumed but states can set up power projects near coal mines and the power can be routed through the national grid to reach the beneficiary state.Puducherry Government on August 15 th media release had announced about a coal block allotted in Orissa.We presume Puducherry Government will put up the project in Orissa as per this new policy of the Center. Our question is while Puducherry can set precedent why should not Tamilnadu follow that instead of ferrying coal from Orissa to Marakanam and setting up power projects off ECR road which was meant to promote tourism and not pollution?

Dravida Peravai has reservations about Puducherry Government not selecting big industrial houses in India or going for cleaner technologies in alliance with multinationals but opting for Dr.Jagathratchagan’s enterprise which has no expertise in power sector as its partner in the Rs7500 crore mega power projects, and we will come out in detail soon on this. Throwing dalits and fishermen out of their traditional homes and professions in Marakanam_Cheyyur belt by mega projects which have become outmoded in western countries, is a crime against fellow human beings, the citizens of India, who are the real masters as per the lexicon of democracy.

N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai

MUSIC OF MOSQUITO'S IN PONDICHERRY

TENTH DEGREE- TAMIZHAN CANAL

Environmentalists are not anti developmental people. Dravida Peravai had mooted many developmental plans, discussed it with Planning Commission Member Dr.S.B.Gupta and met the Union Minister for State of External Affairs Digvijay Singh to urge for the TENTH DEGREE CANAL PROJECT. This was published in center page of Dinamani in al edition coverage with New Delhi dateline.

 TENTH DEGREE- TAMIZHAN CANAL

 August 15 th 2003, from Pondicherry Dravida Peravai wrote a letter to the Lt.Governor of Andaman and Nicibar Mr.N.N.Jha on the need to dig a canal in Thailand connecting Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Siam. It also urged that such Indo-Thailand joint venture be named as Thamizhan Calvaay. (Daily Thanthi 15.08.2003). Then Dinamani dated 28.08.2003 stated that a memorandum for construction of a " New Canal for benefiting Chennai and Tuticorin Harbor’s” had been handed over to the Union Minister of State for External Affairs Mr.Digvijay Singh. Mr.Singh lauded this project which will reduce 1500 nautical miles to reach South China Seas. Then Dravida Peravai sent Memorandums to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Thailand Prime Minister Thakashin Shinawatra on 3.11.2003. The contents of that memorandum are given here.

 Dear Respected Prime Ministers

You may be aware that the Suez Canal (1869) and Panama Canal (1915), Sethusamudram Canal (1860) and the Tenth degree canal have been mooted to create short navigational routes to bring prosperity to respective regions and countries. The French initiative to build Siene-Norde Canal is an example for the keen interest evinced by developed countries to promote trade and overall development. Since the recent visit of The Indian Prime Minister had given tremendous boos to the cooperation between India and Thailand, Dravida Peravai is bringing to your knowledge certain historical facts with the humble request to you both to take an active interest for the construction of the Tenth Degree Canal, which can bring prosperity to Andaman and Nicobar islands of India and Thailand apart from boosting bilateral trade.

You must go back to the pages of history to know that Thailand then known as Siam is an enemy country of the British and an ally of the Japan during the World War II. On the conclusion of the Second World War one of the last secretive acts performed by the colonial Government of India was the signing of a Peace Treaty with Siam [Thailand]. A Peace Treaty between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of India on one hand and the Kingdom of Siam on the other on January 1, 1946 at the Government House Singapore. The signatories were for the Britain Mr. Moberly Dening, political adviser of Lord Louis Mount batten for the Government of India M, S.Aney AND for Siam Prince Viwat Anajai Jaiyant, Lt.General Phya Abhai Songramm and Nai Serm Vinichayakul. This treaty contains 24 articles. Out of this Article 7 assumes great importance in context of this letter.

Article 7: Siam undertakes to construct NO CANAL linking the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Siam [i.e. across the Kra of Isthmus] without British consent. [Keesing’s Contemporary Archives 1946-47 Vol VI p 7695]. This article had done great havoc to Indian shipping costing our nation billions of extra money by way of fuel imports, in view of shelving of the Tenth Degree Canal by imposing a condition in the Peace Treaty. It has also blocked the economic prosperity of Thailand and held up the development process by half a century and more.

Hence Dravida Peravai urges the Government of India and Government of Thailand to look into the unfavorable condition imposed by a colonial rule that too at the threshold of a defeat in World War II. It is in the interests of India and Thailand that a Canal be cut across the Isthmus of Kra where Isthmus narrows to just 75 miles and to develop this canal vigorously so that a detour of 1500 nautical miles down the Malayan coast via Straits of Malacca and up the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea is avoided.

The proposed tenth degree canal will be an extension of the tenth degree channel of Andaman Nicobar islands. The opening of Tenth Degree canal will save millions of tons of fuel for world shipping. Tenth Degree Canal will reduce the importance of Panama and Suez Canals. Tenth Degree Canal would develop Andaman and Nicobar islands and bring prosperity to its economy. The opening of this canal will also benefit Indian Ports like Haldia, Paradip, Vizag, Chennai and Tuticorin.

There are more than 138 minor and intermediary ports under the control of various state governments in India. If Indian Government creates a National Seaway Authority and permits private sector vessels to transport cargo and passengers connecting all Indian ports, these 138 minor and intermediary ports which are inoperable will be busting with activity.................So continues the memorandum.

It must be noted that Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke about "Sagarmala" scheme which is nothing but National Seaway mooted by Dravida Peravai before Planning Commission and other forums.

The future will evaluate all and we have submitted about our activities for future to decide. Tamils must understand that Anna the visionary had left a legacy and it will always remain looking forward for the human upward march towards rational progress.
  N.Nandhivarman General Secretary 

ACCOSTING THE SEA COAST

The New Indian Express of 4.06.2005. 

We reproduce it here because it shows in past decade we continue to focus on Green Issues.

ACCOSTING THE SEA COAST 

n.nandhivarman

Nowadays seas frighten the fisher folk. For centuries fisher folk had established unassailable bond of love with seas, but in post tsunami phase every change in the sea causes nightmare. The sea recedes and people become panicky. Waves enter villages lashing out the beaches. People run hither thither for safety. Kanyakumari to Cuddalore almost for a week people of the coast spent sleepless nights and anxious days. This scenario had wakened up the social thinkers and scientists to look for solutions to coastal erosion. Changes due to continental drift are inevitable. Here too if we look at the projections made by scientists, the future world map of 100 million years and 250 million years show changes in India’s position but India always remain attached to the Asian continent. This should be viewed with consolation, because in past India was an island nation separated from Asia.

 “Our planet is a tri-axial ellipsoid, moving around the Sun in an elliptical orbit at 30 kilometers per second and rotating around its axis at 1,666 kilometers per hour which is faster than speed of sound. Such high speed rotation has resulted in polar areas being compressed towards the center and equatorial areas being bulged out” says Professor Vishal Sharma. Apart from these changes the coast of Tamil Nadu had undergone variations in the past but the present causes more concern. As per a study by the School of Earth Sciences of Bharathidasan University “Before 1.5 million years ago Sea extended up to Madurai. Around 90,000 years before Chennai, Pondicherry and Vedranyam were encircled by seas. Since sea level subsided 65,000 years ago India and Ceylon got connected. When sea level rose by 27,000 years ago both parted and when it fell by 17,000 years before joined again to part again". And amidst panic reaction to such studies, if we look at the map of coastal changes in Tamil Nadu, one could know that the coast instead of moving inwards had extended seawards. This is enough to give us fresh hope for survival braving the fury of Nature.

 VARYING TAMIL NADU COAST

The sea erosion of coast is not an India specific problem. "More than 80 percent of the world shorelines are eroding at the rates varying from centimeters to meters per year." says Orrin.H.Pelkey, Professor of Geology and Director of the Program for the study of Developed Shorelines in the Duke University, North Carolina, USA. He had authored two books and one of its titles has a message to all of us. “Living by the Rules of the Sea" is his book and it is high time we learn to live by the rules of the seas. 

A walk in the beach and breathing its salubrious breeze is world wide habit. But how many of those who visit beaches is aware on how beaches are formed? People are worried about erosion. But it is a fact that without erosion beaches could not be formed. "Without the process of erosion, we would not have beaches, dumes, barrier beaches and the highly productive bays and estuaries that owe their existence to the presence of barrier beaches" opines Jim O'Connell, the Coastal Processes Specialist of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Well erosion might have helped beach formation, but it is sending alarm bells from Kanyakumari to Chennai and beyond. Let us look for some scholarly opinion in this regard. After a close study at the Pitchavaram forests near Chidambaram, M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation reveals that "in between 1930 and 1970, the seashore had eroded by 550 meters. Between 1970 and 1992 the rate of erosion was about 12 meters." The writing on the wall is clear. In past Sirkazhi was a coastal town, which now is interior by kms. The Harbour of Choza Empire, Poompuhar is now beneath the seas. At present warning from Pitchavaram must awaken us. 

Apart from facing Nature's onslaughts with preventive measures, human errors too needs to be corrected. Sand is the food for beaches, and it is needless to say that our rivers are not supplying that food to the beaches. Human exploitation and drying of rivers depletes sand supply to beaches. Interlinking of rivers as often advised by our President A.P.J.Abdul Kalama will not only solve water crisis but will save dying beaches. 

Sea level rise is primarily due to the thermal expansion of the sea water and melting of the glaciers and ice caps. Artic Climate Impact assessment by 250 scientists says that “global warming is heating the Artic almost twice as fast as rest of the planet” United Nations sponsored Inter Governmental panel on climate change will be bringing out its fourth assessment by 2007. Changing Winds and currents in the Indian Ocean in 1990’s contributed to the global warming says a NASA study in the Geophysical Research Letters. The recent lashing of waves of Tamil Nadu coast was triggered by a storm near Australia, scientists say.

The National Hurricane Center of USA reports that “hurricanes release heat energy at the rate of 50 trillion to 200 trillion watts. This is equivalent to 10 mega ton nuclear bomb exploding about every 20 minutes.” But we in India are in one way lucky. Our coast will not be hit by hurricanes. Our cyclones are less intense. Storms that hit continental America have almost the full width of Atlantic Ocean to gain strength, since our cyclones emanate from Bay of Bengal there is neither room nor time for them to grow, and this natural phenomenon helps us in one way.

 Global warming also causes rise in sea level inundating coastal areas. We must know that most of the ice sheet rests on land that's below sea level. At a point called the "grounding line" it starts floating, thus displacing its own weight in water. And as it turns out, the line may not move much because the flow of the ice streams seems to be restrained by friction against rocks at the bottom and sides rather than the ice shelf. So if the ice shelf melts, the flow of the streams should not change appreciably. And since the volume added to the ocean depends on how much ice moves from land to water -- as determined by the grounding line -- the upshot seems to be relative stability. "The ice streams do not appear to be susceptible to the kind of unstable retreat once envisaged," says Bentley. "Their flow is largely insensitive to the presence of the ice shelf so the grounding line would remain the same."  Instead of possibly collapsing in 100 years, as was considered possible 10 years ago, Bentley says the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is more likely to collapse -- if at all -- in perhaps 5,000 years at the soonest. By this scientific prediction it becomes evident that sea level rise by global warming too will not cause more harm in near future, if we are well prepared for it with preventive measures. If governments have plans for beach nourishment with vegetation, which is the cheapest preventive measure, it will go a long way in arresting coastal erosion. Our survival instincts will save us in planet Earth, but let us strive to survive with forethought.

Courtesy: The New Indian Express-week end 4.06.2005