Rains damage pvt port work site, wash away dept’s high tide line

The recent heavy rains that lashed the coast at Kasarkod tonka in Uttara Kannada’s Honnavar taluk has adversely impacted the site where a private port is under construction.

The contentious high tide line that was marked by the ports department has also been washed away at several places.

Experts, activists and local fishermen have been opposing the private port here as this is a high erosion-prone area.

The impact of high tides over the last week was such that a portion of land where the Honnavar Port Private Limited (HPPL) was undertaking dredging work has been washed away, leaving the port site vulnerable.

“Kasarkod tonka beach is a high erosion-prone area. As per the coastal regulation zone rules, no development activities should take place here because of its sensitive nature,” says marine biologist and activist Prakash Mesta.

He says erosion of the sea was one of the major reasons why experts and locals were opposing the project of private port.

Documents show that efforts were made during the British era to set up a port here. But the project was shelved as it is a high erosion-prone area.

Against much opposition from local fishermen, the National Institute of Oceanography conducted the high tide line survey and erected demarcation poles earlier this year. 

“The survey was just an eyewash as the district administration, the state and central and governments wanted to facilitate the setting up of the private port. The survey was conducted in summer, when the tide reach was less. Now, in the rainy season, the sea has shown its real boundaries and damaged a portion of the port site,” says Rajesh Tandel, a leader of fishermen.

Captain C Swamy, incharge director of Karnataka ports and inland water transport department, said he was yet to visit the spot and was not aware of sea erosion at the port site.

HPPL executive director Raghavendra Reddy said sea erosion was a natural process across the world.

“Our port site was vulnerable as we were not allowed to construct a sea wall that would have prevented sea erosion. As of now, we have completed the river bank protection work. Hopefully, in the coming days, based on the orders from courts, we will be allowed to construct the sea wall which can also help locals living in tonka.”