Cabinet approves ship lane draft

(February 28, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs in India on Thursday approved a draft affidavit on Sethu Samudhram project.

The affidavit, which will seek the freeze on the project to be lifted, would have to be submitted at the Supreme Court by March 5.

The Committee has apparently considered several viewpoints of partners in the coalition government.

The government is under pressure from its southern allies to go ahead with the project that will significantly cut sailing time to India's southeastern ports.

But Hindu activists oppose the project saying it will affect Ram Sethu, a coral reef which they say was built by Hindu God Ram.

The project was approved by the government in May 2005.