More relief camps have been opened in coastal areas ravaged by sea erosion here.
Officials said here on Thursday that two camps each had been opened at Ambalappuzha and Cherthala taluks. “At present, 42 relief camps are functioning in the district for 9,778 people of 2,366 families affected by sea erosion and floods. These include 28 camps in Ambalappuzha and two in Cherthala. Besides this, four camps are functioning at Chengannur, seven at Kuttanad, and one at Cherthala taluks,” said an official.
Officials added that two houses were destroyed and another four damaged in sea erosion in the district on Wednesday. The total loss was estimated at ₹4.85 lakh.
UDF hartal
Meanwhile, the United Democratic Front (UDF) observed a six-hour hartal in the coastal areas from 6 a.m. to 12 noon on Thursday in protest against the government’s ‘apathy’ in initiating measures to check sea erosion. The hartal evoked mixed response. Private buses remained off the road.
However, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation operated services. Most of the shops and commercial establishments remained closed. Communist Party of India (Marxist) district secretary R. Nazar criticised the UDF for observing hartal at a time when people were facing difficulty owing to severe sea erosion.
Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran on Thursday visited relief camps at Thottppally, Purakkad, P.V. Junction, and Valanja Vazhi.
