Casting of tetrapods to be deployed along the coast of Chellanam panchayat has picked up momentum after work on the project was launched in January third week. It is estimated that around 1.25 lakh tetrapods of two different weight categories will be required to cover the seven-km coastal segment between Chellanam Mini Fishing Harbour and Kannamaly in the first phase of the project for coastal protection.
Casting of tetrapods is progressing fast near the Chellanam Harbour area and the ones that are ready will be shifted to the coastal stretches where they will be deployed using cranes, said sources close to the project.
Tetrapods being used for protection of the Chellanam coast will be in the 2.5 and 3.5-tonne categories and their deployment will be on the lines followed in Mumbai Marine Drive, where the concrete structures have helped prevent coastal erosion as well as increase the tourism potential of the areas where they are deployed. A total of ₹344.2 crore has been sanctioned to the Irrigation department for the tetrapod works.
Work on protecting the Chellanam segment of the coast is being taken up after the State government identified ten hotspots of sea erosion along the State's coastal region. A study was then conducted by the Centre for Coastal Research, which identified the usefulness of deploying new technology for coastal protection.
The second part of the coastal protection work will involve building another segment of sea wall as well as breakwaters in Kannamaly and Bazaar segments of the coast, the latter being one of the worst affected by sea erosion. Though there was apprehensions about the Bazaar coast not being included in the first phase of the programme, Irrigation Minister Roshy Augustine assured Chellanam residents that the segment would be included in the first phase.
Published - February 20, 2022 09:12 pm IST
