Ullal to get Rs 3 cr to tackle sea erosion

Officials have prepared estimate of Rs 1.7 cr for temporary solution, says Palemar

District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar assured that the State government will make arrangements for the release of Rs 3 crore as a temporary relief for sea erosion problem in Ullal.

Addressing reporters after visiting sea erosion prone areas in Ullal on Sunday, Palemar said that the officials have already prepared an estimate of Rs 1.7 crore for finding temporary solution to the sea erosion in Ullal. But the actual requirement may increase further by the end of the rainy season, he added.

Palemar said that damages due to sea erosion in Ullal were not estimated so far. However, he said that more than 22 houses in Ullal coast are facing the danger of sea erosion, he said adding that the officials of the Department of Ports will assess the proper statistics.

Permanent solution

Explaining about the proposal of permanent solution to sea erosion problem in Ullal and other parts of the State, Palemar said that the pilot project of the National Coastal Protection Project (NCPP) 2010-18 will be taken up soon after its blue print was cleared by the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) and the government. The blue print of the Rs 280 crore project will be submitted by the Department of Ports to TEC on July 10, he added.

Palemar said that 20 per cent of the cost will be borne by the State. Meanwhile, the State will also chalk out plans to execute 10 per cent of the work on PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode, he added.

Palemar said that the NCCP project is being taken up in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka jointly. Hence, he said, delay in preparing the blue prints by other states may also lead to delay in the project.

Palemar said that the district administration is well prepared to face the rain havocs in the district.

 District administration will take initiatives for the rehabilitation of people in case of emergency, he added.  The Minister visited Mukkacheri, Hilary Nagar, Kaiko Road, Kotepura and Mogaveerapatna and other coastal areas in Ullal.
Mangalore (Ullal) MLA U T Khader, former MLA Jayaram Shetty, Assistant Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalakatti and officials were present.

Geo textile tube

Department of Port Udupi Division Executive Engineer Gopal Nayak said that the advanced Geo Textile Tube technology has multiple advantages. In addition to preventing sea erosion, the technology also provides facility for beach formation and increases fish breeding.

Need immediate attention

MLA U T Khader urged Minister that temporary measures to prevent sea erosion should be implemented immediately at three stretches on the Ullal coast.
 He said that the severity of the sea erosion problem is more at Kotepura, Mogaveerapatna and Hilary Nagara. The boulders dumped at these places were already scattered and sunk, he said adding that the areas need immediate attention.