The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : NGOs favour natural protective barriers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

NGOs favour natural protective barriers

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI, JAN. 30. Several non-governmental organisations have exhorted the Government to revive the natural protective barriers such as sand dunes and undertake massive mangrove afforestation in the coastal areas to minimise losses to lives and property by tsunami aggression in future.

The Tamil Nadu Environment Council, the Social Action Movement, and Equations, undertook a rapid assessment on the status of environment in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu in the post-tsunami period and also studied the killer waves' impact on environment and status of ecosystem.

They are of the opinion that marine biosphere and coastal ecosystems should be conserved to protect land and the people. The implementation of Coastal Zone Regulation Act and curbing beach mining were imperative to prevent urbanisation and mindless destruction of natural reserves.

Tamil Nadu's coastline is 1000 km long, and the area in the continental shelf 41,400 sq.kms.

There were about 13 coastal districts classified into four zones — Chola zone extending from Chennai to Thanjavur district, Palk Bay from Ramanathapuram district to parts of Thanjavur, Gulf of Mannar between Ramanathapuram and portions of Kanyakumari district, and remaining areas of Kanyakumari coast was classified as western zone, with a length of 350 km, 270 km, 320 km and 60 km, respectively.

Random sampling was resorted to assess the impact. The study also undertook the impact on developmental activities in the coasts too, according to L. Anthonysamy, founder, TNEC.

The team had as members, Santhanakumar, Siluvai Vasthian, Ranganathan, Rajan, Muniyandi, Muthu, Kasilingam, Karuppiah, Vanarajan, Fenny, Kamaraj, Pushparayan, Thangam, Prabhakar, Mathivanan, and Balaji. Mr. Anthonyswamy coordinated and Muthu of Equations and Mathivanan of TNEC prepared the report.

It visited the affected coastal areas between Jan.14 and Jan.22, 2005 and obtained feedback from locals.

Though the State experienced tsunamis in 1881 and 1941, the losses had not been alarming as in the Dec.26 incident. The details of the previous two tsunamis were however not available.

The team found that the fragile but stable ecosystem was blessed with mangrove forests and sand dunes, which were bonded by plants such as `Adappan kodi,' `Mulli' etc.

The sand dunes formed by the sea and wind, became natural rainwater storage tanks and plants such as `Thazai' grew.

They served as natural barriers against tides and storms and shielded the land from the fury of the sea. The unique eco-system was a breeding ground for various marine species.

But, ignorant of these facts, people had destroyed natural covers and leading to extensive damage. The tsunami affected most where environment degradation was worst.

For instance, urbanisation involving destruction of sand dunes and green cover caused widespread destruction in Karaikal and tidal waters entered adjacent paddy fields.

Tsunami's impact was felt in Siruthur near Velankanni as the authorities blocked the river for obtaining a long stretch of beach. Mindless sand mining in Tirunelveli and the beach sand washing for extracting rare earth minerals in Kanyakumari district were some of the causes for incurring huge losses.

On the flip side, the mangroves of North Amma Pattinam in Pudukottai district saved the village.

An ill-maintained mangrove in TS Pattinam in Cuddalore district of a few feet height too saved the village.

The sea grasses, which acted as wave breakers, were replaced by industries and modernisation.

The removal of huge sand hills in Kodiakarai by local fishermen proved catastrophic. The tsunami entered through this opening and destroyed huts that were constructed in the place of displaced sand hills.

The morphology of the islands and minor bays in the Palk Strait in the Gulf of Mannar have changed as the waves deposited large quantum of silt in the project area of Sethu Samudram.

Urbanisation and commercialisation of coastal lands should be restricted and removal of sand from the beaches stopped.

The fishing policy should be examined against the backdrop of tsunami attack.

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