Kerala State Government has constituted a four-member expert committee to study whether the construction of the multi-crore, international seaport at Vizhinjam has caused coastal erosion in the region.
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Panel
Headed by M. D. Kudale, former Additional Director, Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, the panel will also identify ''specific measures to address the coastal erosion, if any, observed in the zone of influence of construction'' the Fisheries and Ports Department order dated October 6 said.
The decision to form the committee follows a request by the local people who had submitted that the port construction has caused coastal erosion, the government said.
Other panel members are Riji John, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi; Tejal Kanitkar, Associate Professor, School of Natural Sciences & Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; and P K Chandramohan, former Chief Engineer, Kandla Port Trust.
The order noted that the terms of reference of the panel will be issued separately. However, it adds that the panel should hear the views of the representatives of the local population before finalising its report.
Vizhinjam protest
Being constructed by the Adani Group, the Vizhinjam port has been the target of protests by the local fishing community led by the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram over the past few months. Blaming the port for the increase in the intensity of coastal erosion in recent years, the protestors had demanded that a comprehensive study be conducted after halting the construction.
However, in the multiple rounds of discussions held with the protestors, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government government had declined to halt the construction. In September, the Kerala The High Court also directed the State government to comply with its order for providing police protection for the construction.
Government’s order
While constituting the panel, the state government noted in its order that neither the Expert Committee or Shoreline Monitoring Cell appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the construction has caused any erosion in places like Valiyathura and Shangumugham that lie to the north of the upcoming port.
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''As per the orders of the Hon’ble NGT and Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (in its environment clearance), the shoreline changes and other environmental parameters are being continuously monitored over a distance of 20 km (though NGT stipulate 10 km) on either side of the port and analysed by expert institutions such as National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), L&T Infra Engineering Limited. These study results are being reviewed by the Expert Committee/Shoreline Monitoring Cell appointed by the Hon’ble NGT, comprising eminent scientists and coastal experts every six months,'' it said.
Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL), a company formed by the Kerala Government, had received Environmental Clearance (EC) in January 2014 for the development of a deep water multipurpose port at Vizhinjam.
