BERHAMPUR: With the advancing sea assuming menacing proportions and gobbling up large tracts of seaside land and habitations, Ganjam Collector Vijay Amrut Kulange on Monday visited the Gopalpur eco-retreat hub and took stock of the situation. On Sunday, the sea ingress had taken in the toilet complex of the eco-retreat hub being constructed at a cost of Rs 63 lakh by Berhampur Development Authority (BeDA). The sea also engulfed around 100 metres of Gopalpur beach.
The damaged complex was taken up by BeDA despite reported violations of CRZ Act. However, the Act was modified in January this year allowing construction of temporary toilet complexes at tourist places, said a BeDA official even as he avoided the question why a permanent complex was being constructed on the site.
Similarly, a 500-metre guard wall constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 crore during 2004-05 has been damaged. Though a proposal was submitted to the State Government to construct another guard wall of 1.5 km in 2006-07 by Gopalpur NAC, no step has been taken in this regard so far. Expressing concern over the situation, the Collector said views of experts on the matter would be sought soon. Among others, Executive Officer of Gopalpur NAC Uma Shankar Sethi was present.