THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shankhumukham beach — the popular tourist spot — continues to be in ruins with the authorities turning a blind eye. Though the project to reconstruct the Airport Road is in full swing, no efforts are being taken to protect the beach. The beach has bee out of bounds for the public as recurring sea erosion swallows the shore.
Continuous inaction in protecting the beach has prompted the Shankkumukham Airport Road Protection Council to approach Lokayukta seeking intervention for the protection of the beach. The council is demanding steps to carry out beach nourishment here.
Shankhumukham ward councillor Seraphine Fredy said the diaphragm wall being constructed at the beach is just 400 metre long. “The entire beach is in ruins and no efforts are being taken to protect the beach. Hundreds of people visit the beach to enjoy the sunset and sunrise or spend their evenings. Now they are unable to venture into the beach,” said Seraphine.
She said the government cared only about the reconstruction of the airport road. Airport-Shankhumukham Road Samrakshana Samiti convenor Elias John said a memorandum would be submitted to the chief secretary and chief minister soon. “Beach nourishment is one way to protect the beach and we want the government to do it here on a pilot basis and replicate the project across the state,” said Elias.
He said beach nourishment has been done successfully in many other places in the country. “Even the Adani Group has done it at Vizhinjam Port and the government should study the model and implement it. Instead of constructing a protection wall, the government should use tetrapod structures to prevent erosion and damage the beach,” he said.
Elias said the beach should be made accessible to the visitors. “Protection of the road alone would not help. We want the beach back. There should be safe access to it. We have decided to approach Lokayukta demanding the protection of the beach and are in the process of preparing a petition signed by many experts and people from across the state,” he added.
The construction work of the diaphragm wall which is essential for the reconstruction of the airport road is progressing aggressively as the state government is intending to reopen the Airport Road by February end.
What is beach nourishment ?
Beach nourishment, or beach filling, is the practice of adding large quantities of sand or sediment to beaches to combat erosion and increase beach width.