After nature’s fury left the shoreline of world famous Colva beach devastated with soil erosion, the Tourism department is on the job to protect the beach belt from further erosion.
With a red alert in force in anticipation of heavy rainfall over the next few days, the government seems not taking any chances anymore.
While the government agencies have opened the sand bar, paving way for the creek waters to enter the sea, the Tourism department is now on the job to stack sandbags all along the coastline which was devastated in last week’s heavy rainfall.
A visit on the Colva beach on Thursday revealed that heavy machinery was on the job to fill up bags with sands, which were arranged all along the eroded beach stretch. While the work has been taken up by the Tourism department, the job is being executed through the Water Resources Department (WRD). A senior WRD official pointed out that the work is being executed through a contractor appointed by the department as part of the temporary measures mooted to contain further erosion of the beach.
Nature’s fury was at its worst for a week when the Colva creek waters changed its course toward the North, eroding the coast around the Children’s park, instead of entering the sea. In fact, local fishermen pointed out that this is the first time in around four decades that the creek waters have changed its course to devastate the beach stretch during the monsoons.
Says traditional fisherman Domingo Rodrigues: “The opening of the sand bar with heavy machinery has given respite to the sea erosion at Colva beach. And, the stacking of the eroded beach stretch may protect the beach from further erosion. These are temporary measures being put in place, but the government should put permanent measures before the next monsoons near the creek to avoid repetition of the damage of the coast line due to erosion.”
Benaulim MLA wants inspection of all creeks along beach belt
MARGAO: With the Colva creek waters leaving the beach stretch devastated during last week, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas has demanded that the government agencies inspect all the creeks along the State’s beach belt and adopt measures to ensure the water does not change its course and cause soil erosion.
The MLA pointed out that Colva has got a temporary reprieve from the erosion after machinery was deployed on the beach with the permission of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to open the sand bar. “The temporary measure of excavating sand has helped to open the sand bar and paved the way for the creek waters to enter the sea. What we need is a permanent solution,” he said, adding that the government agencies should inspect all the creeks along the coast and initiate measures before the monsoons to avert a disaster.
