Congress takes out march demanding immediate solution to sea erosion at Kannamaly

District Congress Committee (DCC) president Mohammed Shiyas on Monday slammed the State government for its alleged apathy in addressing the ever-worsening sea incursion at Kannamaly gobbling up considerable chunk of land and property along the coast.

He was delivering the inaugural address at a protest march organised by the DCC to the Kochi taluk office demanding an immediate solution to the recurrent sea erosion hampering people’s life along the Kannamaly coast. The protest raising the slogan ‘Save Kannamaly’ demanded compensation for damaged houses and cancellation of allegedly fake cases against the priests who recently organised a protest.

Mr. Shiyas accused the government of still ‘studying’ when the sea continued to wash away the shoreline. “The government is not even protecting projects implemented for crores. Those boasting about placing tetrapods to stave off sea erosion in Chellanam have not even put in place groynes network to protect those tetrapods,” he alleged.

While the original plan was for erecting a tetrapod wall along the entire 12.30 kilometres of the affected stretch for ₹350 crore, the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society only covered seven kilometres using the entire investment. “Residents of Kannamaly are left to bear the brunt of the monsoon while the government continues to offer only temporary solutions. Compensation for the damaged houses remains unpaid,” Mr. Shiyas said.

The police blocked the march in front of the taluk office. DCC general secretary M.P. Sivadattan presided.