KOCHI: Coastal residents in the district can breathe a sigh of relief from sea evasion and cyclone as Disaster Management Department to construct two Multi-Purpose Cyclone Shelters soon. It is as part of the project under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP)- Phase II, 10 Cyclone Shelters to be constructed in the state.
Recently, the Disaster Management Department has sanctioned a fund of Rs 50 crores for the project. In Ernakulam district, the Cyclone Shelters will be set up at Pallipuram and Thurithipuram near Moothakunam. A fund of Rs 5.17 crore has been sanctioned for Cyclone shelter in Pallipuram and Rs 5.92 crore for construction of a shelter at Thuruthipuram. In Alappuzha, shelters will be constructed at Purakkadu, Karuvatta and Cheruthana. In Thrissur, the similar shelters will be constructed at Kadappuram and Azhikode. Similarly, Paravanna and Palappetty in Malappuram will also have Multi-purpose Cyclone Shelter. Another Cyclone shelter will be constructed at Kasaba Village in Kozhikode.
"In 2016, we had selected 27 sites for the construction of Multi-Purpose Cyclone Shelters across all the districts in the coastal area of the state. It was in 2018, 10 places were shortlisted by NCRMP State Project Manager for constructing shelters in the initial stage. After constructing the 10 shelters in the initial stage, the project will be extended to all the coastal districts in the state," an official said.
The expenditure for the project is shared by the centre government and state government in the ration of 3:1. NCRMP is implemented in three phases covering 13 states in the country. Kerala was included in the second phase of the project. The construction activities are expected to be completed before December this year. "During monsoon season when sea evasion is frequent and cyclone like situation emerges, the residents will be shifted to these safe shelters.
The multi-purpose shelter will be constructed at a distance of 3-5 kilometres from the coast. It will have the capacity to accommodate 500-100 people. There will be recreational rooms, restrooms, bathrooms, kitchen for men and women," he said. Usually, the coastal residents are shifted to schools and religious institution when cyclone and sea evasion hit the state.
Often overcrowding and inadequate toilet facility make lives difficult at the temporary relief camps. During the flood in 2018, close to 2 lakh people in the district where shifted to relief camps. Over 80,000 remained in the relief camps for over a month time period.
Project details
The expenditure for the project is shared by the centre government and state government in the ration of 3:1.
The construction activities are expected to be completed before December this year.