KOCHI: The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) will launch the final survey for the Chellanam model fishing village project on Friday. A group of 80 Bachelor of Fisheries Science (BFSc) students will visit around 8,500 houses in the coastal village over the next 10 days to collect suggestions on steps to be taken to empower and rehabilitate villagers and find a permanent solution to their miseries.
The survey will start from Mundamveli Kattiparambu at 9 am. Kochi MLA K J Maxi, Kufos Vice-Chancellor K Riji John, registrar B Manoj Kumar and other top officials will be present on the occasion. Kufos Chellanam nodal officer and head of aquaculture department Dinesh Kaippilly will lead the survey.
“We have prepared a questionnaire with 39 questions to understand the social and economic status of the villagers. We will record their suggestions on basic infrastructure facilities required and steps needed to address their woes. Each student will visit 100 households, ask questions and fill the questionnaires based on the residents’ responses. The questions have been uploaded on Google forms and students will fill up the forms using the mobile app. We will then analyse this data and submit a detailed report to the government,” said Dinesh.
The Chellanam model will be a pilot project, which will be extended to other coastal villages based on the results here. The Kufos had submitted an interim report to the government earlier with suggestions on immediate measures to be taken to protect the villages that have been battered by coastal erosion. The report recommended steps to improve infrastructure, ensure economic and social security and address livelihood issues. It also suggested the construction of T-shaped groynes to check tidal waves.