New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled out
passing any direction relating to controversial Sethusamudram
project saying it will wait for the final report of the expert
committee which is examining the feasibility of carrying it
through Dhanuskodi instead of Rama Setu.
The apex court said any decision on the issue will be
taken after the committee submits its report in February,
2011.
"At this stage, the question does not arise of passing
any order," a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan
and Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal said when Janata
Party Chief Subramanian Swamy said the court could consider
either invalidating the project or ask the authorities to
examine whether Rama Setu could be declared as a historical
monument.
"Now alternative alignment is being examined. The
original plan has been stopped, about which you have been
worried. Let`s go step by step," the Bench said.
The Bench said the issue of invalidating the project did
not arise as "the reason is what you wanted has been
achieved".
The Bench said it would not go into any other issue as
its direction was categorical that the expert committee would
examine the feasibility of alternative route and it would wait
for the final report.
"Let the final report come," the Bench said posting
the matter for last week of February 2011.
The apex court considered the response of the expert
committee Chairman R K Pachauri that it was not technically
feasible to give any opinion or report on the basis of data
collected for a shorter period of three months.
PTI
