NAGERCOIL/CHENNAI: A team of experts, including those from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) is conducting a shoreline survey of Tamil Nadu to identify the vulnerable places that are affecteda by perennial sea erosion.
Heading the team, professor V Sundar of the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT-M told Express that sea erosion was a matter of concern, with the entire stretch of southern coast being badly affected.
“We have done a similar study post-2004 tsunami. However, it is evident from the testimonies that erosion is perennial in few places and we are in the process of identifying them and suggest appropriate counter measures,” said Sundar.
The team, which includes his colleague professor Sannasi Raj, is now in Kanyakumari. Sundar said the team was now surveying the coast between Neerodi to Manapakkam in the district.
A Christu Nesa Kumar, Executive Engineer of the Anti-sea Erosion Division of Public Works Department, Nagercoil, acknowledged that the entire coast line of Kanyakumari area was being facing the problem of sea erosion.
“There are various coastal defence mechanisms available to check sea erosion like building groynes. The government will take a call on it once the IIT-M expert team submits its report,” he said.
Professors from IIT have conducted similar studies in the past in the aftermath of tsunami and also in 2013, and reports were submitted to the government.
This time around, the experts will look for the changes and impacts that have taken place in the district’s coastline.