Threat of coast erosion in East Godavari district

Kakinada: Coast erosion has become a bane for the people of coastal villages in U. Kothapalli, Thondangi and Tuni mandals in East Godavari district. The seven villages of Uppada, Ameenabada, Jag-garajupet, Subbampet, Mayapa-tnam, Konap-apapet and Addaripet are the worst effected due to sea erosion.  

Extensive damage is caused to the village roads due to cyclone or depression in the Bay of Bengal.

However, contractors cash in on the situation as they construct bund and roads in these areas whenever there is damage.

According to official sources, more than 600 acres of land and about 200 houses were swallowed by the sea in the last five decades.

During the Congress regime, a geo-tube was constructed for 1.6 kilometers at a cost of Rs 12.5 crore three years ago and it  protected the villages from the sea erosion till now. However, the geo-tube wall also developed cracks on Saturday. The district officials sent proposals to the government for constructing geo-tube wall to remaining area with a length of 3 kilo meters at cost of Rs 135 crore a year ago.

The engineering in chief of roads and buildings department has also given consent for the project. But, the proposal was kept aside by government. Experts opined that there should be changes in the design of the second phase of geo-tube wall as there was no enough space between the sea waters and the shore to construct the wall.  Coastal Region Rights Protection Samithi founder chairman Dasari Satyanarayana said that the officials should be more cautious in constructing the geo-tube wall in the second phase, else the efforts will go in vain.

The EGREE Foundation  coordinator K.Tulsi Rao suggested the engineers should plant saplings across the sea shore to prevent the erosion from the sea. He said that the Founation was making hectic efforts to save the people by strengthening the mangroves.