Chellanam residents foresee another season of hardship

‘No ground work done for making tetrapods’

January 23, 2022 11:35 pm | Updated January 24, 2022 12:45 am IST - KOCHI

Residents of Chellanam have expressed apprehension about the possibility of the most vulnerable segments of the coastal village not getting protection during the next rainy season though the setting up of tetrapods appears to take off soon.

Samples of tetrapods to be deployed for coastal protection have been kept ready, and the authorities hope to be complete the work in 19 months.

K.J. Maxy, MLA, who visited the tetrapod construction site had said on Saturday that the process could be speeded up.

T.A. Dalphine of Pachima Kochi Theera Samrakshana Samiti said 19 months looked like an unrealistic target considering that no ground work had been done for the making of tetrapods. There are practical difficulties associated with their construction as well as their transport to the coastal segments where they will be deployed.

Survey conducted

He said a survey had been conducted to construct a road to transport the tetrapods from the construction site to the coast. It will require large cranes to lift the structures and move them to the coast. V.T. Sebastian of the Chellanam Samyukta Samara Samiti said men, machinery, and materials had to be mobilised for such large-scale construction work, and the process was time-consuming. The project awarded to Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society involves work on 7.5 km of the coastal segment. The project cost is ₹240 crore.

He said the Janakiya Samiti had been on the path of protest for 819 days now and have been demanding work to protect the entire segment of the coast from Chellanam to Fort Kochi, which is 17.5 km long.

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