Shobha Karandlaje, Udupi-Chikmagalur MP, said on Wednesday that she would lead a delegation of fishermen from Udupi district to Delhi shortly and urge the Union government to construct a permanent sea wall to put an end to problems caused by sea erosion.
She was speaking to presspersons after visiting sea erosion affected areas at Tenka Yermal, Bada Yermal, Padu-Thottam and Udyavar-Padukere villages. Ms. Karandlaje said fishermen had been living by the seashore for generations and had a better understanding of the problem of sea erosion. She would also urge the Union government to study if there was any technology in the western countries to check sea erosion and if it could be used in India.
At present, however, there was no other method to prevent sea erosion immediately than putting boulders. “I would request the Union and State governments to release emergency funds to take immediate steps such as putting boulders to prevent erosion in the worst-affected areas in Udupi district to protect the lives and property of people,” she said.
Ms. Karandlaje said that apart from sea erosion, the delegation would also discuss the problems of the Coastal Regulation Zone norms and deep-sea fishing, and construction of a commercial port in Udupi with the Union Ministers concerned.
To a query, she said all steps would be taken to protect the stretch of land over which National Highway 66 passes from sea erosion, as it connected Maharashtra and Goa with Karnataka and Kerala. She would speak to her fellow MPs B.S. Yeddyurappa, Anant Kumar Hegde and Nalin Kumar Kateel on this matter, Ms. Karandlaje said.
