THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the monsoon intensifies in Kerala, people who have made their homes along the coastline wage an unwinnable war against the mighty sea.
Deafening roars of waves kept us awake all night. They pounded our wall. Never in my life have I witnessed the destruction of this magnitude. We are in constant fear for our lives,” weeps Maria M, who has a seven-month-old baby with her, as she continues to stare at the frothing waves crashing just a couple of meters away.
Maria is one among the many hapless villagers who live in jeopardy along the coastline in Pozhiyoor, home to about 5,000 families. Battered by severe sea erosion, the panic-stricken fisherfolk of the coastal hamlet are bracing themselves to face the intensifying monsoon fury. For the past two weeks, relentless waves have shattered the lives and hopes of hundreds of families here.
“The sea is devouring our lives. If this continues, by the end of this monsoon season, all of us will be homeless,” says Maria. “My husband is out in the sea despite the rough weather to provide for us. He goes for a week in the sea and sometimes returns with nothing. I pray for his safe return.”
Waves have breached the seawalls. Its fragments can be seen scattered all over the shoreline.
Nearly 1.5km of the coastal road has been destroyed, marooned under sand and rocks brought by the waves. A few meters of the road have been carved away by the waves, restricting the movement of vehicles.
Overall, the village appears battered. “There is a road beneath this sand, and houses and other structures on the other side of the road have been washed away. The electricity connection is yet to be fully restored. I have lived here all my life, and this is our way of life. I cannot fathom the thought of moving away from here, but the reality is harsh,” laments 70-year-old Simon, who sits amidst the ruins.
“The encroachment of the sea upon our village has been gradual, but this was unexpected, and we were caught off guard. Even the sea walls couldn’t give us protection. If this continues, by August, there will be nothing left.”
Antony Amma, 50, who moved to a relief camp when the waves ravaged her house, echoes the frustration. “Three families reside in this house, and we have three children. My house was filled with sand after the wave attack,” she says.
“We experience static electricity inside the home, and it’s scary. My home will only become livable after they fix the road and clear the sand. The road is completely ruined. The relief camp set up at the nearby school did not have enough toilets or facilities, so we returned home after a day. Also, our children study in the same school, and staying there longer would mean no classes for them.”
Like most villagers here, she has only one wish: “The authorities should take action to save this shore, and our lives.” Families here have been demanding rehabilitation and protection of their livelihoods. It is estimated that as many as 300 families need urgent rehabilitation.
“This is where I have lived all my life, and I wish to spend the rest of my days here. But it looks like I have to move,” says 75-year-old Lourde Mary, who survives on the pension she receives from the government.
“Earlier, we were blessed with a sandy shoreline, and the sea was far away from our homes. I feel scared because of all these uncertainties as I live alone in this one-room home. The waves crashed through my home. I want the government to provide me with a house so that I can be at peace. I don’t want to die in some relief camp.”
Mary adds that life has been a struggle ever since she lost her husband 20 years ago. “I have applied under the government’s housing scheme. I hope to get home before I die.”
Villagers on a warpath
The sorry plight of the villagers has prompted two parishes here to unite in action. The churches of Pullengode and Paruthiyoor have formed an action council to fight for the protection of the villagers and secure proper rehabilitation for the displaced families.
As many as 400 families in Pozhiyoor have already enrolled for the Punergeham scheme of the state government, which offers Rs 6 lakh for buying land and Rs 4 lakh for house construction.
Father Silvester Kuris, the vicar of Pulluvila Forane Church at Pozhiyoor and part of the recently formed action council, argues that the scheme is inadequate. “A cent of land in the area costs at least Rs 3 lakh. For purchasing three cents, a family will have to cough up Rs 10 lakh,” he reasons.
“The beneficiaries become trapped financially; they will have to borrow a lot of money. The scheme is pushing families into crisis and, eventually, they may be forced to sell their homes.” Meanwhile, due to a paucity of funds, the fisheries department has been unable to disburse the allotments to those who have availed of the Punergeham project.
“Many beneficiaries are waiting for the second and third installments of the scheme. Hence, they are unable to complete the construction of their houses and relocate from the affected areas,” says Kulathoor grama panchayat president G Sudharjunan.
“We have raised the issue with the district collector. The administration has promised to expedite the allotments. There seems to be a financial crisis, and a cabinet decision needs to be taken to solve it.”
‘Several families excluded’
A section of the fisherfolk is up in protest against their “exclusion” from the Punergeham scheme. “The scheme is intended for those who have lost their properties to sea erosion and those living within 50m of the high-tide line,” says Davils Mary, Paruthiyoor ward member and vice-president of Kulathoor grama panchayat.
“However, several families have been excluded from the list of beneficiaries, citing grounds that they own other properties or houses. This is unfair, unacceptable.” Notably, these issues have cropped up at a time when the monsoon is expected to wreak more havoc in the coming days. The villagers recently staged a protest and blocked local roads, demanding immediate intervention by the authorities.
“The deputy collector of disaster management visited the affected areas and held meetings with us. Around 200 families will require immediate rehabilitation,” says Father Silvester Kuris. The villagers have identified 14 acres, acquired decades ago for setting up a power loom to provide livelihood opportunities for fishermen’s families. “The land, which belongs to the industries department, is currently lying abandoned. It can be used for constructing flats to rehabilitate the fisherfolk,” adds Father Silvester.
Permanent solution needed
The ever-looming threat has the fisherfolks of Pozhiyoor clamouring for the immediate implementation of long-term projects, rather than the band-aid approach. Following widespread erosion of Kerala’s coastline, the National Green Tribunal had, in November 2021, issued an order directing the state to prepare a shore-line management plan.
Following this, the state government prepared an integrated shore management plan. According to officials of the irrigation department, the plan’s final report will be submitted soon. Pozhiyoor and Shankumughan beaches were among the ten most-vulnerable locations along Kerala’s coast.
A 1.6km-long sea wall, which costs `51 crore, has been proposed at Pozhiyoor. Official sources say the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board has granted preliminary approval for the project.
“We have prioritised the project considering the severity of the issue. We are hoping to launch the work of the seawall within two months,” says an irrigation official.
However, the villagers are demanding the simultaneous implementation of the harbour and seawall project. “A multipronged approach is required, and both projects should be implemented simultaneously,” says Father Silvester.
“The existing seawalls perished in the recent wave attack owing to a lack of maintenance and strengthening. We need permanent solutions to protect our coast.” Selvaraj Kanakaraj, a resident of Pozhiyoor, highlights that the harbour project has been pending for several years now.
“The project was announced with much fanfare during the previous term of the LDF government. Apart from initial studies, there has been no progress,” he says. “A large section of the fisherfolks are forced to go to other harbours at Neendakara, Beypore or Kasargod for fishing. The harbour project is part of the manifesto of the current government.”