Over 150 houses in Eraviputhenthurai, a coastal village in Thoothur panchayat in Kanyakumari district, were damaged due to sea erosion following high tides accompanied by strong winds on Saturday night.
The sea is usually rough from May to September, with waves as high as 10 to 15 feet. Owing to the lack of anti-sea erosion walls and groynes, seawater entered more than 150 houses of fishermen.
“I lost a portion of my house, as the seawater entered my house due to high tide with strong winds at midnight on Saturday. Immediately, I shifted my household things and moved with my two children to a house in the neighbourhood,” said Remi Bai of Eraviputhenthurai village.
K. Julius, a social worker and former Boat Union President told The Hindu that over 2000 voters in the village decided to boycott the polls on Monday to show their protest against the government. The residents want the district administration to take immediate action on construction of walls or groynes to stop further damage to their houses.
The residents staying in the corridors of nearby churches may move to the nearby private school campus on Sunday night.
S. Rubert Jothi, Assistant Director, Fisheries Department, inspected the damaged houses on Sunday and assured them that anti-sea erosion walls would be along the coast Mr. Julius said.
Residents were warned
When contacted Mr. Jothi said the department had appealed to the people to move away from the coastal areas, as the sea would be rough till May 17 due to the depression formed over Sri Lanka.
After visiting the village, he submitted a report to District Collector Sajjansingh R.Chavan on the damage caused in the area.
Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea for three days from May 15, as the low pressure formed in Sri Lanka may cross Nagapattinam on May 17, Mr. Jothi said.
Affected residents said that the Killiyoor Congress candidate S. Rajesh Kumar and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate A. Mary Kamala Bai visited them and promised to take up the issue with the government for a permanent solution.
Seawater enters houses, villagers blame government for failing to build wall or gryones
