Vizag Port launches exercise to nourish eroded beaches

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam Port has launched its annual exercise to nourish the eroded beaches in the city as part of its corporate social responsibility. Instead of INS Kursura Submarine Museum, this time first preference has been given to nourish the area near Children's Park at the most frequented picturesque location of RK Beach. A dredger belonging to Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) has commenced the job of bringing sand from the 'Sand Trap' extending over three to four km, developed between Dolphin's Nose and South of Breakwater Area to fill the eroded beaches.

The port had entered into an agreement with the DCIL to complete dredging for three years at a cost of Rs 39.96 crore a couple of years ago.

The launching of the exercise, which is being taken up every year when there are low tidal waves in the month of February-March was delayed for some days due to hosting of prestigious events like the Presidential Fleet Review (PFR) and Multinational Naval Exercise (MILAN). The need to nourish regularly increased due to alarming change in beach morphology, mainly constructions near the beachfront. Erosion turned worst when sea incursion near Bheemunipatnam and caving in of the parapet wall of INS Kursura Museum and breaching of road near Fishing Harbour was reported. This led to setting up a high-power committee led by IAS officer MT Krishna Babu to suggest corrective measures.

Plans to erect tubewells, underwater dykes and geosynthetic mesh were mooted but dropped following concern expressed by green activists that this will go against environmental laws.

The extended beach area will continue till the onset of the monsoon and occurrence of systems in the Bay of Bengal when the seawater takes away a lot of sand. During the Hudhud Cyclone a lot of erosion had occurred.

"As part of our CSR, we are regularly nourishing beaches by parting with part of our revenue," an official of Visakhapatnam Port pointed out.

DCIL has the expertise in building new beaches. Once listed for strategic sale, a consortium comprising major ports of Visakhapatnam, JNPT, Kandla (Deendayal) and Paradeep bought Government of India's shareholding of 73.47 per cent at a cost of around Rs1,000 crore in 2019 to have management control over the company, which has its headquarters in Visakhapatnam.