Hindu groups from around the world on Tuesday jointly launched a campaign to preserve the 'Ram Sethu', a chain of shoals connecting India and Sri Lanka, which according to the epic Ramayan was created by Lord Ram's troops.

"The Ram Sethu which is seen as one of Hinduism's holiest sites, is an ancient chain of shoals that once linked India's southern areas to Sri Lanka's northwest and it is being destroyed by the Sethu Samudram Shipping Canal project to create a navigable waterway in the narrow sea dividing the two countries," the Hindu Forum of Britain said on Tuesday.

International groups have pointed out that the environmental impact assessments of the project were conducted before the Tsunami disaster and have not included the increased risks to coastal areas from the removal of natural barriers against future Tsunamis, the forum said.

"They expressed serious concerns over the destructive effects the canal project will have on local marine life, environment and coastal populations in general, including the livelihood of thousands of fishermen in the region," it said.

"Consultations with local communities may have excluded several stakeholder groups whose views would have highlighted critical environmental and humanitarian issues," it said.

The Hindu Forum of Britain, Hindu Human Rights, Esha Vasyam USA and Global Human Rights Defence of the Netherlands jointly launched the 'Save Ram Sethu' campaign on Tuesday, on the occassion of Ram Navami, the birthday of Lord Ram.

The Indian government had earlier said, there was no archaeological proof of the existence of such a bridge. But NASA satellite pictures have shown the presence of a land bridge on the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka.

A growing number of international Hindu organisations from Australia, Canada, America, Africa, Holland and other countries are extending their support to the campaign.

"We are considering various ways to lodge our protest and appeal to Hindus all over the world to send their letters to the government of India," said Ranbir Singh, chair of Hindu Human Rights.

"The government of India is entitled to take care of the country's trade and commercial interests, but not at the cost of destroying a site that is revered by one billion Hindus in the world," he said.

Ramesh Kallidai, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain, asked the government of India to open a second round of consultation under an independent commission so that post-Tsunami data and analysis could be included in a second impact assessment.

"The old data used to make this monumental decision was rendered obsolete by the Tsunami of 2004, which radically altered the environment and conditions," he said.

The Hindu groups plan protest marches to site of the bridge and campaigns involving world bodies and international politicians.