With no bids coming in for undertaking repair works on the seawall along some of the most vulnerable segments of the coast, Chellanam coastal protection works are unlikely to meet the March deadline even as residents have expressed apprehensions about facing another rainy season without any protection from sea erosion.
The Irrigation Department had invited bids for repairing and maintaining segments of seawalls along South Chellanam, Gunduparambu, Malakhappadi, Bazaar, Velankanni, Chalakkadavu, Kandakkadavu, Reethalayam, Puthenthode, Kannamaly, Cheriyakadavu, Kattiparambu, Manassery and Saudi. The government had also issued technical sanction for work worth ₹1 crore related to the revamping of seawalls, said T.A. Dalphine and Jinson Veluthamannungal of Paschima Kochi Theera Samrakshana Samithi on Monday. They said more extensive works to protect the coastal area that included the erection of geotextile tubes too had come to a standstill.
The residents said that if the works were not completed by April, the people of the region would be in serious trouble. They said people’s representatives should immediately intervene to re-tender the works. The coastal village has been at the receiving end of rising sea tides, accentuated after the Ockhi cyclone in December 2017, added Mr. Dalphine.
