Kerala - Kochi   

Meet on coastal protection

KOCHI: With waves continuing to carve away the shoreline of West Kochi and authorities reportedly turning a blind eye to sea erosion, efforts are on to evolve a project for protecting the coastline.

The erosion will increase once the deepening of the shipping channel and the dredging activities of the port are undertaken, fears C.M. Dinesh Mani, representing the Palluruthy Constituency, which is one of the worst-hit constituencies. It is this fear that has led him to take the initiative to have a pilot project for protecting the coastline.

A meeting on December 9 will discuss the project that will be presented by P.V. Chandramohan, former chief engineer of the Cochin Port Trust. M. Vijayakumar, Ports Minister, will inaugurate the meeting. Mr. Mani will present the subject.

According to Mr. Mani, nearly 25km-long coastal stretch of the district has been hit by sea erosion and this would worsen once the dredging activities for the Vallarpadam International Container Terminal were undertaken.

Though the British experts involved in the development of Wellingdon Island had suggested in 1918 that groynes should be constructed in Vypeen and Kathrikadavu in Chellanam, no steps had been made in this direction. Even though the issue was brought to the notice of the authorities, they adopted the stand that the coastal protection measures could not be undertaken owing to paucity of funds. The slurry and clay removed as part of the dredging operations should be deposited at Fort Kochi-Chellanam shores for protecting the area, he said.

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