Coastal erosion not driven by Vizhinjam port, says researcher 

U.S. -based academic’s study, which attributed erosion to the natural seaward jutting of certain places, has come in for criticism from those demanding a halt to the port construction

A study that found no correlation between the coastal erosion and the Vizhinjam port has stirred up a hornets’ nest in the Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese of the Catholic Church (Latin rites), which spearheads the fishermen’s agitation against the port. A section of priests mounted a scathing verbal attack on the author of the study Clement Lopez, a U.S.-based researcher and former researcher at the Department of Future Studies, University of Kerala. In a chat with The Hindu , he explains the circumstances that led to the study and its socio-economic significance. Excerpts:-

The priests who opposed my findings did not challenge the study academically or scientifically. Instead, they tried to question my integrity by launching a personal attack. That is not the way to challenge a scientific study. I don’t think the Church is against me over the findings. Only some priests, who have personal interests, have opposed me.

Though I shifted to the U.S. in 2013, I was involved in matters related to the fishing community in Kerala. The Church used to seek my guidance in subjects related to my domain. I taught Economics in the seminary under the diocese for 14 years. I strongly argue for the fishermen’s cause and out of the seven demands put forth by the diocese, I support six, except the demand to halt the port construction. I know there is no logic in the demand as the coastal erosion was not aggravated by the construction. I know each nook and cranny of the coastal villages, both from the perspective of a researcher and a common man.

When the protest became a long-drawn affair, I urged the Church to stop the stir by yielding to the request of the State government that was ready to reach a consensus with the fishing community, except for their demand of halting the port construction. But some priests decided to intensify the strike by misleading the fishermen. This was not acceptable and I was forced to come up with a study. There is a clear conspiracy and some political interests in the protest against the port.

In fact, the factor that has been causing erosion in the coastal villages north of the port and accretion in the southern villages is the location of the Kovalam cliff, Azhimala, and Chowara that jut seaward, at one point, around 1.4 km to the sea. This pattern of erosion and accretion was there even before the construction of the Vizhinjam harbour. The Adimalathura coastal village, on the southern side, and near the Chowara hills, has a history of only 100 years after families from further south migrated in tune with the accretion.

My study, based on the data of beaches in the past years from Google Earth, shows that there is no correlation between Vizhinjam port and the severe erosion that happened in Valiathura, Thope, and Shanghumugham, which are located around 16 km from the port. It is clearly connected with the nearby 12 groynes in Cheriathura and Beemapally.

The Vizhinjam port is being constructed on the south side of the Kovalam cliff, which is not an eroding beach, but an accretion beach. Also, a sizeable proportion of the breakwater is within the bay, and the rest within the length of the cliff. The port can cause further erosion over and above the traditional cliff-induced erosion only when its seaward projection exceeds the length of the Kovalam cliff.