Shreyas H S
Pics by Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore
Mangalore, Jun 15: The annual problem of sea erosion has begun to take its toll in Ullal with the onset of the monsoon along the West coast. However, even as expressing apprehensions about the ADB funded project, people are banking their hopes on it dreaming of a permanent respite.
The woes of the locals over the project were due to the lack of information provided to them by the district administration. “We have not been comprehensively informed about the project by the authorities concerned,” said Umanath Suvarna, a victim of sea erosion. The people are hoping that the new project will end the long prevailing problem of the region.
The first phase of construction funded by the ADB (Asian Development Bank) that kicked off recently at Ullal came to a halt conceeding to the monsoon factor. The Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment Programme (SCPMP) has started recently with Mott MacDonald initiating the work. Mott MacDonald was given the tender to carry out the SCPMP. The project that was approved by the ADB is the first of its kind in the country.
“The company has assured us that the work at Ullal will be finished soon to resolve the trouble of sea erosion recurring during the monsoon,” said Bhaskar Ullal, a local resident. The department of ports has not taken the invoice of the residents before launching the work. Currently the work has been paused as the rains have started. “We are hoping for the speedy completion of work,” he added.
It was evident through the narratives of the locals that they have limited knowledge about the project. The residents of the affected area were kept in darkness over the experimental project along the coast. Most of the people hailing from the place seem to be apprehensive of the new programme. While many draw flak at the project, few say, "I do not understand what is happening."
Shantakumar, joint director, department of ports, speaking to Daijiworld, said, “An amount of Rs 223 crore was earmarked for the project and the first phase of work will be completed only in 2017. In the first phase, four places will be covered and a study is on along the Karwar-Udupi coast line for the second phase. After the study on the feasibility of the project, second phase will be launched. The dwellers are well aware of the intricacies of the project.”
When asked about the validity of the stitched geo-textile bags filled with sand used for the construction of berms, he said it would last for a hundred years resisting the lashing of sea waves. “The placing of many such geo-textile bags in a design approved by the ADB forms the berm,” he added. An engineer, working on the project, under the condition of anonymity, said that the lifetime of the bag is not more than 10 years.