MANGALURU: The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) on August 19 approved the World Bank funded Rs 840 crore Karnataka Strengthening of Coastal Resilience Economy (K-Shore) project to make the state’s 320-km coast plastic waste free.
Under this project, the Forest, Fisheries, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) departments will implement various initiatives to improve the capacity of the coast to withstand pollution, besides creating employment opportunities for locals.
The project also intends to address sea erosion and marine conservation, which is expected to give a fillip to the conservation of Olive Ridley turtles and dolphins along the coast.
Dr K Karikalan, conservator of forests, Mangaluru Circle, said under the project, the forest department will take up mangrove cultivation, plant bamboo and cane saplings at estuaries, shores and other areas along the coast, which will act as a vegetative trap. The department will also construct culverts, check dams and causeways, and take up soil moisture works along the banks of 16 rivers that originate in the Western Ghats and enter the Arabian Sea. At estuaries, trash barriers will be set up to collect plastic waste and beach cleaning work will be taken up involving fishermen and other local communities.
Among others, the focus will be on pilgrim centres such as Kukke Subramanya temple, Dharmasthala, Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple, Sri Krishna temple in Udupi, Kollur Mookambika temple, etc.
‘DPR ready for next five years’
The authorities will tie-up with various organisations to find alternatives to the use of plastic items such as carry bags and to create awareness among the people visiting the places of worship in the region.
On trekking routes and forests, plastic bottles and other waste will be collected at entry and exit points. Bins will be placed at various places. Plastic waste collected at the vegetative traps and other places will be recycled with the establishment of Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) units in various places. “This initiative will help generate employment opportunities for the locals,” said Dr Karikalan.
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared for the next five years and it will be discussed at a meeting to be held in New Delhi on September 20. After this, tenders will be invited for various works, he said.