KANNUR: The government will need to spend Rs 5,400 crore to ensure the protection of Kerala’s shoreline from coastal erosion, said Minister of Water Resources Roshy Augustine. He said the state government has sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore towards the cause via Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
The minister’s statement came at the inauguration of the sea walls reconstructed at Azheekkal in Azhikode on Sunday. “The people of the coastal region have been facing difficulties due to the sea attacks. The government is committed to resolving their issues. The sea walls at Azheekkal is part of that effort,” the minister said.
As of now, five sea wall projects have been completed. “It is reported that there are around ten hotspots in the state where the threat of sea attack is very high. National Centre for Coastal Research has submitted reports regarding three hotspots,” the minister said. The government has also constructed protective sea walls at Ernakulam district’s Chellanam, he said.