Minister for Water Resources Roshy Augustine has assured that permanent measures to contain sea erosion along the Edavanakad coast will be taken after the government receives a report from the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR).
The Minister, replying to a query raised by Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan in the Assembly on (July 11) Thursday, said laying of geotextile sandbags was not a permanent solution to sea erosion along the coast. It is a temporary measure despite the presence of sea groynes.
He also said that tetrapod walls were needed to contain sea erosion effectively, and an NCCR report on it was awaited. Once the report was in, steps would be taken in keeping with the recommendations of report, he added.
Mr. Augustine said the suggestions that came up following Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian’s visit to Edvanakkad had been taken with due gravity, and new measures would be taken to contain sea erosion.
Mr. Satheesan had pointed out that around 200 families living along the Edavanakkad coast had suffered immensely from sea erosion. Roads were seriously damaged and houses were flooded. Since the road got buried under a substantial heap of sand, traffic in the area was disrupted. The situation was serious enough that people, if they fell sick or met with accidents, might not be able to get medical help in time, he added.
The attention of the Assembly was sought after a visit to the area that revealed the enormity of the problem, Mr. Satheesan said in his submission.
Sea groynes in the area, built after the 2004 Tsunami, had been damaged. An IIT study suggested that 13 sea groynes had to be established, and a sea wall had to be erected to handle sea erosion. Though a report to this effect had been submitted to the government, no action had been taken so far, he said.
Edavanakad panchayat had received ₹12.5 crore using which two sea groynes were built. Subsequently, four more sea groynes were erected during the tenure of the Oommen Chandy government. There had been no action since then, the Mr. Satheesan claimed. He said that the actual requirement was for 13 sea groynes, and that only four had been erected so far.
The lack of sea groynes had resulted in Ward 13 of the panchayat suffering acutely from flooding. Houses in the ward were under constant threat. The rising sea waves and sea erosion triggered flooding of homes and created severe shortage of drinking water. Local bodies had to be empowered to reach drinking water to the affected areas during emergencies, he said.
He also pointed out several petitions had been submitted during the ‘Theera Sadass’ programme of the Fisheries Minister. Accordingly, ₹56.46 crore was sanctioned for tetrapod wall, sea groynes, and road maintenance. However, only the maintenance of roads was tendered for work, he said.
He also blamed the government as the Goshree Islands Development Authority, which looks after the affairs of the islands and neighbouring areas, had virtually been frozen now. The Chief Minister is the Chairman of the authority, and there had been only four meetings so far during the last eight years, he alleged.
