Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government constituted an expert panel on Friday, to address the concerns of coastal erosion raised by the local fishermen community allegedly due to the development of the International Multi-purpose seaport at nearby Vizhinjam. The committee, chaired by M D Kudale, former additional director of Central Water and Power Research Station, shall listen to the views of the representatives of the local population before finalising the report, a government order said
‘The government is pleased to constitute an Expert Committee to examine whether there has been any such coastal erosion consequent to the work done for constructing the port at Vizhinjam and to identify specific measures to address the coastal erosion, if any, observed in the zone of influence of construction’, it said.
Certain sections, representing the people residing in the coastal region had submitted that the construction of the Seaport project has caused coastal erosion around the port, it said adding that a representation in this regard was also made before the Cabinet Sub Committee by them during discussions.According to the order, the construction of the port project, which commenced in December 2015, is being undertaken within the applicable procedures and laws prevailing in India and are being continuously monitored. Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) had received Environmental Clearance (EC) from MoEF in January 2014, which prescribed the course of action, environmental management, monitoring and reporting during the construction and operation of the port, it said.
The EC was challenged by various parties and it was upheld by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) with clear directions to the Kerala government to proceed with the project. As per the orders of the NGT and MoEF&CC, the shoreline changes and other environmental parameters are being continuously monitored over a distance of 20kms (though NGT stipulate 10 Kms) on either side of the port and analysed by expert institutions such as National Institute of Ocean Technology, National Centre for Earth Science Studies, L & T Infra Engineering Limited.
‘These study results are being reviewed by the Expert Committee/ Shoreline Monitoring Cell appointed by the NGT, comprising eminent scientists and coastal experts every six months’. The government order, however, specifies that there has been no observation made by this Expert Committee or the Shoreline Monitoring Cell so far that the construction of port at Vizhinjam has caused any coastal erosion at the north of the upcoming port at locations such as Valiyathura and Shanghumugham.
Riji John, vice chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Tejai Kanitkar, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Science and P K Chandramohan, Former Chief Engineer, Kandla Port Trust, are the other members of the newly constituted expert committee. The Terms of Reference for the panel would be issued separately, the order added.
The state government’s decision to set up the expert panel to address the concerns of the local community comes in the wake of weeks-long agitation by the fishermen demanding that the construction work be halted. Though the government had held talks with the representatives of the protesters, they failed to persuade them to withdraw the agitation. The protesters have been claiming that the unscientific construction of groynes, the artificial sea walls known as ‘pulimutt’ in local parlance, as part of the upcoming Vizhinjam port was one of the reasons for the increasing coastal erosion in the district. In August, hundreds of fisherfolk had taken out a massive protest rally in the state capital and laid siege to the Secretariat here with boats and fishing nets, alleging that the Left government was neglecting their demands.
Post Your Comments