NimmaKarnataka.com

Monsoon batter Karnataka coastline

Friday, 11 July 2008

Every year the monsoon brings waves that batter the coastline of Karnataka and people living close to the angry sea in Mangalore are worried for their safety. Erosion has been an ongoing problem in coastal areas of Karnataka like Mangalore, particularly Ullal. A resident of the area complains, ''When the monsoon starts, a lot of water comes and we need to leave our homes. Politicians come and make promises - they make fools of us. Nobody has come after the rains have started.'' The state government has released over Rs 2 crore so far, largely to place boulders as barriers against the sea. Ivan Lobo, General Manager, Summer Sands Beach Resort said, ''This stone wall is not going to give you a solution. Every monsoon the stones will get washed out into the sea.'' The Union government had requested the Asian Development Bank to help protect vulnerable areas on the West Coast - a Rs 291 crore project is on the cards, but this will take time. Maheshwar Rao, Mangalore DC said, ''This year around Rs 60 to 80 lakhs has been sanctioned in order to prevent erosion, specially in areas where it is very severe. Along with this in case someone's house has been damaged, we plan to give some sort of compensation.'' With people here do not wish to move further inland as their livelihood of fishing depends on the sea. Each monsoon is a very real threat to the ground beneath their feet.

 

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