On Friday, in a development reviving the long-standing demand over the protection of Ram Setu, the Supreme Court issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by former Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy. The petition seeks directions to the Union Government for a timely decision on declaring the Ram Setu bridge a National Monument, along with a comprehensive survey by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The case stemmed from a petition filed by Dr Subramanian Swamy in 2007, wherein he challenged the Sethu Samudram Ship Channel Project. The project envisaged the creation of an 83 km-long navigable channel connecting the Mannar and Palk Straits through extensive dredging. It was alleged that the execution of this project would cause irreversible damage to the Ram Setu, a natural chain of limestone shoals stretching from Pamban Island (Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu) to Mannar Island (Sri Lanka).
Since then, Dr Swamy has pursued the issue in multiple proceedings, including a writ petition seeking directions to the Union Government to explore an alternative route for the project, so as to ensure that Ram Setu remains unaffected.
In January 2023, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that the Ministry of Culture was already considering the proposal for granting national heritage status to Ram Setu. At that stage, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta suggested that Dr Swamy submit a representation to the Ministry, which led to the disposal of that application.
Dr Swamy has urged that the Central Government is legally bound to safeguard Ram Setu from any form of misuse, pollution, or desecration. His petition notes that “this archeological site is a matter of faith and shradha of people treating Ram Setu as a pilgrimage.”
Ram Setu, also referred to as Adam’s Bridge, holds profound cultural and religious significance in India. It is described in the Ramayana as the bridge constructed by Lord Rama and his army to reach Lanka in pursuit of Sita.
With notice issued, the Centre must now explain the delay in acting on Swamy’s representations and the broader demand for National Monument status. The matter has once again placed the intersection of environmental protection, cultural heritage, and faith before the country’s highest court.
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