KOCHI: The Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society has bagged the Rs 256-crore contract for the construction of a seawall to protect Chellanam coastal hamlet, which has been devastated by surging tidal waves. Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine said the state cabinet has granted approval for the project that aims to lay tetrapods covering a distance of 7.3 km along the coastline of Chellanam.
The tetrapods dissipate the force of incoming waves by making the water flow around. Due to their weight and design, tetrapods can remain stable even under the most extreme weather conditions. A number of tetrapods arranged together form an interlocking, porous barrier that dissipates the power of waves and currents.
The government has issued directions to complete initial works before the onset of the monsoon in June. The coastal protection project was implemented utilising modern technology based on a study conducted by Chennai-based National Centre for Coastal Research. The project will be completed on a war footing, said the minister.
Chellanam panchayat has a coastline of 21 km with a population of 13,000. There are more than 1,000 houses along the coastline. The residents have been devastated by surging tidal waves which inundates the village when the sea turns rough. The government has taken up coastal protection projects worth Rs 5,300 crore across the state. The water resources department has approved a Rs 344-crore project for the protection of Chellanam.