Expert panel to study the impact of Vizhinjam port construction on coastal erosion

While constituting the panel, the state government noted in its order that neither the Expert Committee or Shoreline Monitoring Cell appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the construction has caused any erosion

Kerala State Government has constituted a four-member expert committee to study whether the construction of the multi-crore, international seaport at Vizhinjam has caused coastal erosion in the region.

Also read: Explained | Why are the fisherfolk demanding to stop the construction of Vizhinjam port project

Headed by M. D. Kudale, former Additional Director, Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, the panel will also identify ''specific measures to address the coastal erosion, if any, observed in the zone of influence of construction'' the Fisheries and Ports Department order dated October 6 said.

The decision to form the committee follows a request by the local people who had submitted that the port construction has caused coastal erosion, the government said.

Other panel members are Riji John, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi; Tejal Kanitkar, Associate Professor, School of Natural Sciences & Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; and P K Chandramohan, former Chief Engineer, Kandla Port Trust.

The order noted that the terms of reference of the panel will be issued separately. However, it adds that the panel should hear the views of the representatives of the local population before finalising its report.

Being constructed by the Adani Group, the Vizhinjam port has been the target of protests by the local fishing community led by the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram over the past few months. Blaming the port for the increase in the intensity of coastal erosion in recent years, the protestors had demanded that a comprehensive study be conducted after halting the construction.