KOCHI: The state government will complete the repair work of geo tube bags in Chellanam coastal area and sea walls before June. The Rs 45 lakh work will also include cleaning of Vijayan canal and Upputhodu, to ensure maximum water flow. At a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and attended by Minister for Industries P Rajeeve, officers of fisheries, irrigation and agriculture departments on Tuesday decided to allot Rs 2 crore for Ernakulam district to fight sea erosion. The other seven coastal districts will get Rs 1 crore each.
“We have also decided to introduce the Tetrapod system in Chellanam, which will help in resolving the crisis. An amount of Rs 16 crore was allotted under the 100 days project of the government. The irrigation department will be entrusted with the tender proceedings for the implementation of the plan,” said P Rajeev.
Tetrapods are made of concrete and they are designed in a tetrahedral shape to dissipate the force of incoming waves by allowing water to flow around rather than against them, and to reduce displacement by interlocking. The meeting has also decided to ask Coastal Development Authority managing director Sheikh Pareeth to complete the project for developing Chellanam into a model village.
The minister said stringent measures will be taken for the protection of coastal zones. “Steps will be taken for removal of silt from rivers and water bodies. This will be carried out as a continuous plan. We know that sea erosion is frequent in places like Chellanam. What we need is to prevent it with the help of modern technology. The projects for coastal management will be completed in all coastal hamlets in a time-bound manner,” he said.