Specific Information Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The shoreline of Kovalam, one of many iconic worldwide vacationer locations in Kerala, has been witnessing huge destruction as tough sea circumstances and sea development have gotten a daily affair. The tourism division had sanctioned Rs 8.35 crore for the seaside safety mission and had roped within the harbour engineering division to hold out a mannequin research to give you efficient measures to forestall sea erosion and shield the serene seashores at Kovalam. 

The precise plan of the harbour engineering division (HED) was to guard the seaside utilizing T-head groynes which had been cost-effective.  Nevertheless, after the completion of the mannequin research, the division has now proposed offshore breakwater utilizing geotubes/groynes to guard the shoreline at Hawa Seashore to Lighthouse Seashore. The division’s offshore breakwater mission proposal for Kovalam has come at a time when specialists are elevating apprehensions about such measures. It’s learnt that related initiatives taken up in different states have been a catastrophe.  

A senior official of the division instructed TNIE that they’ve submitted their report together with the suggestions for seaside safety to the tourism division. “We have now advisable offshore breakwater on the strains of the continuing breakwater mission at Poonthura. The one downside is that this can be a new expertise and all our fashions present offshore breakwater is appropriate for Kovalam. Moreover, T-head groynes won’t be secure for the vacationers and it’ll take away the great thing about the seaside. We have now additionally proposed seaside nourishment together with the breakwater,” mentioned the official. 

The HED has proposed a 160-metre-long offshore breakwater at Hawa Seashore and 180-metre-long offshore breakwater at Lighthouse Seashore. The proposed mission is estimated to value round Rs 22 crore for offshore breakwater utilizing geotube and `40 crore for building of an offshore breakwater utilizing rubbles. “The mission is underneath the consideration of the tourism division and now they’ve to decide on a possible choice from the advice we gave them,” the official added. 

The state authorities has already sanctioned Rs 150 crore for the safety of shorelines alongside the Thiruvananthapuram coast. In accordance with officers, this fund can be utilized for breakwater building at Kovalam.

A senior tourism division official mentioned the proposal submitted by the HED is underneath the consideration of the state authorities. “The division is giving utmost precedence to the revival of Kovalam, which is the face of tourism in Kerala. A choice could be taken with none delay and the mission could be executed in a time-bound method,” mentioned the official. 

Section II of revival mission halted 
Through the earlier time period, the LDF authorities had launched `20 crore value of infrastructure growth actions to revive and provides a facelift to Kovalam. Nevertheless, the  Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Ltd (ULCCS), the company executing the mission, has didn’t implement section II of the mission due to heavy sea erosion. 

It’s learnt that almost all of the parts are arising on the seashores at Kovalam. The second section of the mission goals at sprucing up Hawa, Sea Rock and Lighthouse seashores. The mission consists of two 13-foot-wide and 400-metre-long walkways, a laser present facility and tripods for coastal security. The ULCCS has halted the second section work due to heavy sea erosion.

An official related to the revival mission mentioned they’ve halted the mission following the course of the tourism division. “We can not execute the mission with out the completion of the seaside safety mission. We’re restoring the facilities which get destroyed in sea erosion yearly and we want a everlasting resolution to this problem. Cash is getting wasted in restoration initiatives which get swallowed by the ocean,” the official added.

• Proposed mission estimated at Rs 22 crore will set up offshore breakwater utilizing geo tube
• It would value Rs 40 crore if rubbles are used