Kerala's Chellanam village continues to strike against incompletion of seawall in sea erosion-prone area

Residents of Chellanam village in Kochi continue to strike against the incompletion of seawall during the monsoon season in the sea erosion-prone area.

Residents of Chellanam village in Kochi continue to strike against the incompletion of seawall during the monsoon season in the sea erosion-prone area. A coastal stretch of more than a kilometre between Velankanni in Tamil Nadu and Companippady in Kerala has experienced severe erosion of shores. Such stretches have been identified for geotextile tube laying. But a combination of factors including the lockdown has delayed the work.

The geotube project is likely to be stalled for long hinting at a tough monsoon and resultant sea erosion for Chellanam coastal residents. "According to the Disaster Management Act, 2015, Chellanam was declared as the highest sea erosion-causing Panchayat. One of the plans announced in 2017 was the construction of seawall here but it has not been completed yet, informed Advocate Thushar Nirmal Sarathi, part of Chellanam Janakeeya Vedi to ANI

"The government has not even done a study on the subject," added the Advocate. Chellanam Janakeeya Vedi, comprises of the residents demanding a permanent solution to sea ingress at Chellanam, have completed their 232nd day of indefinite strike.

There is a sense of impatience among coastal residents as their demand or shore protection walls date back to 2017 December when Cyclone Okhi hit the coast, flooding homes and damaging property. But now, the authorities are building temporary sand walls here, not strong shore protection walls. Mariyamma, a native of Chellanam coastal areas said to ANI, "The sandbags are not the solution to our problem as they cannot protect the coastal area from sea erosion. The construction of the seawall has not been completed."

"Four years have passed since State government said they would build the seawall but has not finished yet. Only sandbags are building now," She added. Mary, another resident of the village said that after the villagers started agitating during monsoon, JCB is called to collect the sand. After that, the sand will be taken by the sea.

"It was only after this that we started the indefinite strike, the decision to put the sandbags was done after meeting the minister. But now that it has been delayed, we do not have any other place to go," she added. (ANI)

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