New Delhi: The government was today asked
by the Supreme Court to expeditiously convey its stand on a
report of an expert body which allegedly has doubted the
feasibility of the controversial Sethusamudram project.
The apex court said the Centre`s response to the
report of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) was
necessary as it had reserved the verdict on July 30, 2008
asking the expert committee headed by environmentalist R K
Pachauri to examine the feasibility of pushing the project
through an alternative route instead of Rama Setu.
"You state what is the report. What would be your
stand as the report is with you and you have to take some
decision," a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan
and justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal said.
The Bench was hearing an application moved by Janata
Party chief Subramanian Swamy seeking scrapping of the
controversial Sethusamudram project claiming that NIO which is
the expert body of government has doubted its feasibility.
The Bench, which made it clear that it was not passing
any order at this stage, said since the matter has been
pending for 15 months after it reserved the verdict on the
bunch of petitions challenging the execution of the project,
the government has to dispose its stand.
"Because you (government) are coming out with the
report, the matter was kept pending for quite sometime. What
he (Swamy) is saying is since the matter has been pending you
have to dispose of with your stand," the Bench told Additional
Solicitor General Haren Raval, who questioned Swamy`s claims
about the report.
Bureau Report
