Maritime Newsletter

4-member panel to probe erosion of Kochi sea coast - 2010-07-05

The Kerala Fisheries Minister, Mr S. Sarma, has entrusted a four-member committee to submit a preliminary report on a complaint that dredging at the estuary and the coast by the Cochin Port Trust (CPT) in connection with the commissioning of the Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal has resulted in erosion of the sea coast. The panel comprises a scientist of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), a representative of the CPT, State secretary of the Ports Department, and the adviser to the CPT. The decision came at an emergency meeting after MLAs from the district brought the issue to the State Government's notice. The NIO report got the approval of the Pollution Control Board and the coastal regulation management committee. The Centre's approval for the project was sought only after that. Later, when the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests gave the go-ahead it had directed the NIO to continue its study. In keeping with this, NIO was submitting reports every six months. NIO officials said that the study would be conducted on whether there was change in the flow pattern owing to dredging and a report would be submitted.Source: Business Line