THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Shankhumukham Beach continues to face severe erosion, experts have recommended the construction of offshore breakwaters to protect the shoreline and restore the once-popular destination in the state capital. However, the proposal has triggered criticism and concern, with many pointing to the still-incomplete offshore breakwater project at nearby Poonthura.
MLA Antony Raju, after discussions with multiple departments and experts, has decided to push the offshore-breakwater project mooted by the Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation (KSCADC) to protect the Shankhumukham. However, the decision hasn’t gone down well with the irrigation department -- which is responsible for coastal conservation in the state.
The decision to proceed with the offshore-breakwater project has come at a time when the irrigation department has drawn up a comprehensive project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to construct ‘land-locked breakwater’ at Shankhumukham -- one of the critical spots under threat of erosion in the state. The department has decided to oppose the offshore-breakwater project on the grounds that it’s not suitable for Shankhumukham Beach.
According to official sources, the department has already submitted a proposal. The Rs 150-crore project proposes beach nourishment along with land-locked breakwater and is expected to be completed within five years. “The ADB-funded project is a foolproof project which has been drawn up after years of study. Government approval will see the project take off immediately. Offshore breakwater is not suitable for beaches like Shankhumukham which have very high wave activity,” a senior official with the department said.
“Nothing has been finalised and there will be more discussion at the government-level,” the official added.
The offshore breakwater project piloted at Poonthura back in 2020 remains stalled and incomplete. While terming the project ineffective, local residents have hailed the groynes built by the irrigation department for reducing erosion in the area.
The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has sanctioned Rs 150 crore for phase I of the offshore breakwater project, with Rs 19 crore approved for the pilot project on the Poonthura-Valiyathura stretch.
Scientist and coastal environmental activist A J Vijayan says that it would be ideal if the offshore-breakwater project is implemented after assessing its effectiveness in Poonthura. “We don’t know how effective this intervention is and it needs to be observed for two-three years to come to a conclusion. Similar projects implemented in other states have failed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the irrigation department will immediately launch a temporary project to save Aarattu Mandapam, which is also threatened by erosion. The tourism department has sanctioned Rs 35 lakh for the intervention to protect the structure in Shankhumukham.