The Union government is likely to go ahead with the contentious Sethusamudram Project. Sources disclose that the government will defend the project when the case comes up for hearing on Tuesday and will reply to petitions demanding that the Ram Sethu or the Adam's Bridge be declared as a national monument and World Heritage site. The 3,500 crore project started in July 2004 ran into controversy when Hindu groups started to protest the dredging across the Sethusamudram canal as it destroyed the Adam's bridge, believed to be the passage created by Lord Rama to rescue his wife from the hands of demon King Ravana in Sri Lanka. Environmentalists too opposed the project alleging it destroyed the biosphere reserve in the area laden with coral reefs. Many religious activists and political parties including Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy moved the Supreme Court in 2007 seeking a stay on the project. The Supreme Court gave an interim order staying dredging operations across the Ram Sethu area in August 2007, but the Union government has continued dredging in other places across the canal. The affidavit filed by the government containing a report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) saying that there was no historical or scientific evidence of the existence of the bridge and that the characters of Ramayan are merely fictional incited protests throughout the country The BJP attacked the government that it hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus. It led to the suspension of two ASI officials and the government withdrew the objectionable portions of the affidavit. After hearing the petitioners during a five-day hearing during May 2008, the Supreme Court has asked the government as to why the Ram Sethu bridge should not be declared as a national monument and a World Heritage site and file an ASI report on the issue. Not willing to run into any more controversies this time the government is likely to ask for more time to file a reply and a report by Archaeological Survey of India when it comes up for hearing on Tuesday.