Coast Erosion: Andhra Village Is Losing Soil to The Sea

Kalingapatnam Beach in Srikakulam faces severe coastal erosion, creating a threat to the livelihood and the people in the coastal belt—the affected areas of Vamsdhara and Nagavali rivers in the Bay of Bengal.

The State Government has sought to National Center for Coastal Research to study the situation and also suggest if there are any mitigation strategies available to beat the calamity. Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan has highlighted in the assembly that the NCCR has come up with a Shoreline Management Plan which can be a great strategy to reduce coastal erosion.

He also added that the possible risks are many but the NCCR is trying every bit to restore the situation and eliminate the future chances of coastal erosion. Srikakulam MLA, Gondhu Shankar Rao is quite concerned over the livelihood of the communities. He claimed “Thousands of families in my constituency are affected. The rivers Vamsadhara and Nagavali have altered their courses due to sand accumulation at their sea mouths, worsening coastal erosion. The fishermen’s hamlets in PG Peta and Kalingapatnam are under constant threat. Despite developing a beach at Kalingapatnam in 2017, it has since been completely washed away,”

Shankar Rao also suggested the state government call it a national disaster and this can impact lives and livelihoods. The SMP drafted needs detailed feasibility as some of the suggestions in the SMP claim the use of coconut trees, casuarina plants, groynes, mangroves, and artificial walls that will prohibit the water from reaching the shores.

A retired professor from Andhra University claimed that the monsoon waves often transport sand which leads to lower accumulation. If sand is less accumulated the water will spread and eventually reach the shores.