Question : Impact of Sea Eradication

(a) whether the Government is aware that the impact of sea eradication has caused considerable loss in portion of the western coastline in Kanyakumari district during the last two decades;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the remedial steps being taken by the Government to protect the beaches and fishing harbour in Kanyakumari district;
(c) whether any proposals/study reports/representations have been received from any fishermen community from the Kanyakumari district/concerned department of State/Centre for developing Thengapattinam fishing harbour and also for 600 ft. length fly over bridge between Thengapattinam and Eayumanthurai in Thamirabarani river;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the reaction of the Government thereto along with the proposed fund allocation in this regard?

(a) Sir, National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) Chennai, an attached office of Ministry of Earth Sciences is periodical monitoring and assessing the shoreline erosion / accretion pattern. A GIS based interactive database was created for depicting cumulative eroding and accreting areas for the years 1990-2016. The analysis of last 26 years data suggests that about 33%, 38% and 29% coast is eroding, accrediting and stable in nature respectively.

Kanyakumari district has 69.06 km long coastline. Out of which 44.56 km coast was found to be eroding, 17.86 km was stable and 6.64 km was of accreting nature. The major eroding pockets/locations were Puthenthurai, Erayumanthurai, Midalam, Mandaikadu, Colachel, Kovalam etc. A web based coastal service on shoreline change along Indian coast is developed to disseminate the information to all stakeholders.

(b) Sir, the erosion of coast is mainly due to action of waves in addition to the currents setup by the oblique attack of wave. Erosion of the coast depends upon many factors like storm waves, nature of beach material and the shape of the coast, tidal level changes, movement and quantity of the littoral drift material etc. Planning and execution of anti-sea erosion measures are undertaken by the maritime States/UTs as per their own priority and from their own resources. The role of Union Government is technical, advisory and catalytic in nature. However, there is provision for providing central assistance to State Govt for taking up critical sea erosion works under FMBAP scheme as per Guidelines.

State Government of Tamil Nadu is undertaking many works for shore protection in Kanyakumari district. Latest being Rs 116 cr worth work in Neerodi, Vallavilai, Marthandanthurai villages.

(c, d & e) Sir, there is a proposal to study the feasibility of improving Thengapattinam Fishing Harbour to an Integrated Fishing Harbour.
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