Thiruvananthapuram: The proposed Veli breakwater touted as a panacea to floods in the city will swallow beaches from Valiaveli to Thumba, claim researchers and fisher groups. They fear the resulting sea erosion to eat up fishing hamlets like Valiyathura and Anchuthengu. “Usually when a breakwater comes up, the beach on the northern coast will experience sea erosion. Accretion benefits the beach on its southern side,” said Robert Panipilla, chief coordinator of the NGO Friends for Marine Life.
It means Veli tourist village area will benefit and Valiaveli and Thumba will suffer, claims Alakal, the mouthpiece of Kerala Independent Fishworkers’ Federation (KIFF). They cite Muthalapozhi breakwater as an example, as it led to massive sea erosion at Thazampally, Poonthura and Anchuthengu beaches. The governor had earlier this week said the Veli project would start in 2017-18. However, experts say the existing mechanism of mechanically removing sand bar during rains serves the purpose.
“The breakwater scheme is a scam aimed at stealing 70,000 cubic metres of sand from the natural sandbar, a ploy to ensure that solid waste from city washes into the sea 24x7 without hindrance,” the KIFF said It will act as a consolation for hospital, commercial and residential projects around Akkulam- Veli Lake to not treat the effluents, they say, and is against Coastal Regulation Zone notifications 2011 section 3 (v) banning releasing effluents without treatment.
