THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Protests are brewing in the coastal regions against the government move to allocate more funds for building sea walls in the area. Fishermen have opposed the move and stated that this was against the stand by Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma who had earlier stated that sea walls would not provide a permanent solution from the raging sea.
The government has allocated Rs 300 crore for the project in this budget considering the casualties caused by sea waves on fishermen communities. Last month, the coastal regions of the district had experienced sea surge that led to rehabilitation of fishermen. According to T Peter, general secretary of National Fish Workers Federation (NFF), the decision to build a sea wall along the 590-km coast line would have a disastrous impact on the environment. Also, he alleged that the money would be syphoned off and would not be used for the purpose intended, he added.
According to Peter, sea walls should be build only in certain locations accompanied with groynes. Also, sea walls can be build only to ward off emergencies and instead, a more permanent mechanism for rehabilitation should be planned.
Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, Jackson Pollayil said that the Fisheries Minister who had earlier stated that sea walls were not the permanent solution has now taken steps to seek relaxation in the Coastal Regulation Zone rules for the setting of the sea walls. According to Jackson, boulders required for constructing the sea wall can be constructed only by blasting big granite mountains in Western Ghats. “ Most of the money would be symphoned off. Some of the officials in the Irrigation department, contractors and politicians are showing keen interest in this project,” Jackson added.
