KOZHIKODE: The coastal areas have been hit hard by the tidal waves and sea erosion in the wake of the onset of monsoon. The worst affected are the people residing in areas like Gothiswaram, Santhi Nagar colony, Kappad-Koyilandy and Ezhukudikkal. Core wall constructed in many of these areas has failed to protect the people from the rising waves.
“We have to be careful about beach erosion as it is a natural phenomenon,” said Kozhikode corporation Mayor Thottathil Raveendran. “A permanent solution will be worked out to protect the shore side, as hundreds of families reside in these areas,” he added. A few houses, especially in Ezhukudikkal and Kappad, have been partially damaged by the rough sea during last two days.
"A number of proposals were sent to the previous government by various political parties to save the vulnerable coastline, but nothing has been approved so far," said Ahamed Jamal, a fisherman residing at Gothiswaran coastal area. "Even this year, we will lose our property as the sea is getting rough every day and no action has been taken so far for our rehabilitation," he added.
"A solution is to strengthen the sea walls, but the authorities wait for a calamity to take action," opined Ravi Chandran, a resident at Bangladeshi colony near Bhatt Road beach. Fishermen have become jobless and are virtually starving, he added.
District Collector N. Prasanth, who heads the District Disaster Management Authority, visited Gothiswaram and directed the construction of a temporary sea wall in the region and the work was kickstarted on Saturday. He said that the officials had been directed to take steps to check the threat of sea erosion. "Rehabilitation of the affected people will also be carried out without fail. Free ration will be provided to the families of fishermen during the trawling ban," he said.
