From Pritesh Chohan, Birmingham

I am writing this in response to hearing that the bridge between India and Lanka might be destroyed. I am a Hindu, and as a Hindu, I believe in the Ramayana being a fundamental part of our culture. It is one of the greatest epics in our religion, and it tells us of how Lord Ram and his army have built the bridge This bridge not only symbolises the strength in our faith, but is a symbol of Lord Ram’s ever–existing presence. The bridge just under the surface of the water is proof that the Ramayana must have taken place, otherwise how did the bridge get there?

The Ram Sethu is a national heritage site, and demolishing it would be a direct attack on the 85% of India who are Hindu. There are other issues involved in the destruction of the bridge, apart from only religious. The wildlife around and under the bridge will lose their habitat and shelter and survival would be threatened. The risk of tsunami is already big in that area, but at least the Ram Sethu acts as a barrier. If the bridge is destroyed, the risk will increase, and a tsunami will have a devastating effect around the unprotected South Indian region, like it did in Sri Lanka in 2004. The one disadvantage is that ships will have to go all the way around Sri Lanka, to get to the other side of India. However this may only add around an hour to the time. It is a small price to pay, for such an important bridge. As you can see, the advantages of keeping the bridge far outweigh the disadvantages.