A World Bank team is in Puducherry to inspect the sites proposed to be taken up under the Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction Project. According to sources, the administration has submitted proposals worth `235 crore to the team, for their consideration.The 11-member team led by the senior disaster risk management specialist, Deepak Singh, is here at the request of the Government of Puducherry.
The proposals include some of the work which were undertaken but were not completed under Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project (ETRP), that were wrapped up on December 31, 2011. Some of the proposals submitted for the consideration of the World Bank team are multi-disaster permanent houses, provision for bio-shields planting trees along the coastal belt, sustainable fisheries, strengthening of old buildings, buildings under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) including those at Karaikal and Mahe.
The World Bank team is likely to visit Raj Niwas building, which was built during the French rule.
Interestingly, the proposals also include Mullodai fishing harbour project, which was met with resistance from environmentalists and NGOs. The World Bank team will visit Chennai after winding up their visit here on Tuesday.