PURI: A two-member technical team from Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IITMadras), led by Oceanology Professor Ram Kumar, on Sunday visited Swargadwar site, near Mangala river confluence, to examine the impact of high tide on Puri beach. The beach is being gradually eroded by the surging sea waves for the last few days. Inspecting the sites, Prof Ram Kumar said after completion of the ongoing dredging work on old mouth of Mangala river, the storm water will get its natural outlet and the situation would improve. Erosion in Swargadwar beach is a normal phenomenon.
During rainy season, erosions occur and later, with change in season, these are filled up by the tidal waves, he added. The team suggested a detailed survey of the soil erosion and said the situation needs to be documented for years to ascertain the cause of erosion. Noted paleontologist emeritus Manmohan Mohanty said laying of geopipes or raising stonewall along the coast would not solve the problem, rather it would make worse. The beach should be nourished in a natural manner. Huge sand dunes should be raised to minimise the problem of erosion.
The new tectonic plate movement may have triggered the change in behaviour of sea, he added. Though the dredging work on old confluence of river Mangala is on, authorities ignored a cross bund raised by a hotel near the old river mouth. A couple of years ago, when river Mangala changed its course, its existence was at stake and the new river stream running alongside the high tide zone of sea had washed away a road and some Government installations. Every time the erosion of beach occurs, the Government seeks opinion of experts. Till date, five experts have submitted their views in this regard. But the State Government is yet to implement those