THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fishermen and their families living along the Shangumugham-Jusa Road staged protest on Tuesday blocking the Valiyathura-Airport Road for two hours demanding urgent measures to protect their homes from the advancing sea and rough waves triggered by monsoon.
The protest, which began at 2 pm, brought traffic to a complete halt on the road leading to the Thiruvananthapuram domestic airport. Travellers heading to the terminal were forced to take a detour via Enchakkal- Chackai, causing delays and inconvenience.
The families have been living in fear of losing their houses this monsoon as coastal erosion continues to swallow rows of houses year after year.
J Mosses, who coordinated the protest, said that around three rows of houses along this 180 metres have been lost to the sea over the past three to four years.
“This is not a sudden protest. We had warned the authorities even before the monsoon began. All they did was dump a few loads of rocks which disappeared in the sea,” he said. The cites unavailability of rocks as a reason.
Following the blockade, police and other authorities arrived at the scene and pacified the protestors , who withdrew the protest by 4pm. Previously, a seawall had been constructed near the Shangumugham beach to protect the airport road.
However, residents complain that the remaining 180-metre stretch up to Jusa Road was neglected, leaving their homes exposed to the fury of the sea.