 They say the planned route would destroy marine life and corals and would impact the trade in conch shells that is worth almost a year.Deposits of thorium, important for nuclear fuel requirements, would also be affected.Opponents also say that the dumping of dredged material from the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar in deeper waters would "endanger those areas, which are rich reserves containing 400 endangered species, including whales, sea turtles, dugongs and dolphins".