NATURAL
BARRIERS:
The dense mangrove forests stood like a wall to save coastal communities living behind them," said M.S. Swaminathan. 2. Where forests saved the people, The Hindu dated 31/12/04. The forest cover also reduced the number of casualties in some of the islands. About 400 persons in Car Nicobar who had retreated into the forest to escape the tsunami have returned. 3. Sand bars disappear as more builders move in, The New Indian Express dated 1/1/05 But with the sand bars fast disappearing to facilitate “developmental activities” along the beaches, the original inhabitants have been exposed to the cruelty of the sea 4. Project to insulate coast with greenery, The New Indian Express dated 3/1/05 The sudden move to adopt an eco-strategy stems from the fact that the tsunami attack left smaller scars on coasts with a green buffer than other barren beaches and sea-facing landscapes. The Government is mooting heavy incentives to institutions who adopt a shoreline and give it a protective belt. 5. Reefs can protect coasts from tsunamis, The New Indian Express dated 5/1/05 Artificial reefs are created by bags filled with sand which are laid off the shore at a distance ranging from 200 to 300 metres. The life span of reefs is over 40 years compared to the short life of sea-walls. 6. State plans sea wall along TN coast, The New Indian Express dated 8/1/05 TN had earlier planned a sea wall on a smaller scale, and wherever sea walls and groynes were in place, the areas had survived the fury of the waves. Before the tsunami, 40 places had been identified as vulnerable. 7. Casuarina trees saved this Nagai hamlet, The New Indian Express dated 20/1/05. Naluvedhapathi, 15 km from Vedaranyam, hit the headlines the world over a year ago when its residents and the district administration set a Guinness record of planting 84,200-odd casuarina saplings along a stretch of two kilometres of the coast without interval during planting. 8. Mere seawalls won't do, keep natural cover: experts, The Hindu dated 23/1/05. Environmentalists and fishermen appreciate the Government's intention to wipe out the psychological fear in the minds of the people in the coastal areas and to ensure that the coast is not ravaged as it was on December 24, 2004. However, this cannot be achieved by merely putting up seawalls. 9. For a bio-shield, by S. Viswanathan, The Frontline dated 11/2/05. The
cost of the construction of a sea wall is too prohibitive and there is
not guarantee that it would withstand the force of a tsunami. 1.
'Mangroves can act as shield against tsunami', The Hindu dated 28/12/04.
2.
Where forests saved the people, The Hindu dated 31/12/04 3. Sand bars disappear as more builders move in, The New Indian Express dated 1/1/05. CHENNAI: Life is not all that wrecked on Chennai’s coastline post-Tsunami. Only the hapless fishermen who were wedded to the sea for their livelihood have been devastated. The affluent South Chennai residential colonies present a contrasting picture even now. Beautiful multi-storeyed residential apartments and beach resorts, most constructed violating the environment conservation norms still present a picturesque view. A resident of one of these colonies in Tiruvanmiyur, standing in his car porch said: “It was quite thrilling when the Tsunami came up to our porch, as if to wash it, and retreated just like that. We were all watching it with awe and wonder.” These are buildings that have come up on long stretches of sand bars, which had been absorbing the shock of giant waves during testing times for the fisherfolk. But with the sand bars fast disappearing to facilitate “developmental activities” along the beaches, the original inhabitants have been exposed to the cruelty of the sea. “Our lives are wrecked now because to facilitate the affluent construct posh bungalows, the authorities pushed us closer to the sea. To silence us, some were accommodated in multi-storeyed buildings constructed by the Slum Clearance Board,” claimed Rajendran, a resident of Tiruvanmiyur fisher village. It is a tragedy that fishermen had rented out or sold those tenements too and once again settled close to the sea. It may be noted that Rameshwaram escaped nature’s fury last Sunday because man has not so far interfered with nature’s built-in safety mechanism. Tsunamis were absorbed by the coral reefs across the Palk Strait. Incidentally, it is these precious life-saving reefs that could be destroyed in the process of the construction of the much-wanted Sethusamudram. Waking up to the dangers involved in fooling around with nature, the Centre had come up with Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act in 1991. It was such a progressive law that it was not only aimed at protecting the mangroves which functioned as storm barriers for the fisherfolk, but was also a means to keep people protected from possible tidal wave attack and other fallouts of global warming. The state governments were to identify areas likely to be inundated during vagaries of the weather and totally ban construction activity in such high-risk areas. The Act prohibits construction of new buildings on the sea side of already existing roads along the coast and even construction of new roads and buildings within 500 metres from the high tide line. When objections were raised against the setting up of the fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam on the ground that it was prohibited by the CRZ notification, the law itself was amended, said Mohan, an advocate specialising on environment law. More such amendments followed over the years to legitimise “developmental activities,” both within and without cities. Even recently the Centre had sought to impose new regulations on mega projects coming up on the coastline. Since it put speed-breakers before Tamil Nadu Government’s new Secretariat project, unfortunately it ended up as an issue challenging state autonomy. Environmentalists had also opposed the East Coast Road project citing that it could lead to concentration of human habitation on the road, but they were not heeded. The lackadaisical attitude of the authorities encouraged people convert the shoreline into a concrete jungle. Getting financial assistance for promoting such blatant violations of law was never a problem once banks started extending loans. When nationalised banks refused to give loans without the requisite approval for construction activity from the regulatory agencies, the new generation bankers extended a red-carpet welcome to such borrowers. Those banks looked only at the repaying capacity of the loanee and at times did not even bother to take collateral security. Loans were not restricted to individual houses alone, even huge residential complexes jointly promoted by banks and builders have come up along the coast. There are several thousand such buildings along the East Coast Road, pushing the hapless fishermen closer to the sea. Buildings on the shore are also money-spinners as they are frequently booked for film shooting and other commercial activities. As a Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority official put it: “With very little manpower at our disposal, we cannot go about checking all such activities. Further, you should know that it is not all that easy to do so either, as most of the owners are big guns. A decision has to be taken at the highest level to prevent such instances. But now we need to sit back and think because it is quite possible that the toll was high because of our not protecting the coast line.” But major builders say they are not to be faulted. “We have pucca clearance from the CMDA for all our flats,” said Tharachand Dugar, chairman of Dugar Constructions. Dugar’s multi-storeyed residential complex, which has come up very recently, stands close to the Tiruvanmiyur beach. Subba Reddy, head of Ceebros Constructions, has built and sold more than 60 flats a little away from Dugar’s. He conceded that his complexes were built hardly 250 metres from the sea but maintained that he had appropriate clearance at every level. “Each of our flats costs Rs 60 lakh to Rs 80 lakh but all our flats have been sold out,” he said. The damage could be compounded now. Under the guise of rebuilding the coastline after Tsunami, even the vestigial traces of ecological treasure could be destroyed.
In a typical knee-jerk reaction, the State Government has decided to float a Rs 35-crore project aimed at insulating Kerala coasts against tidal surges with mangroves and casuarina. The sudden move to adopt an eco-strategy stems from the fact that the tsunami attack left smaller scars on coasts with a green buffer than other barren beaches and sea-facing landscapes. The Government is mooting heavy incentives to institutions who adopt a shoreline and give it a protective belt. The project has been already cleared by Forest Minister K.P.Viswanathan. Sources told Express that the Government is adopting a comprehensive strategy. ‘‘It is basically aimed at disaster mitigation. The tragedy has taught a lesson that better forest cover will minimise impact in the eventuality of natural catastrophe. We’re now engaged in identifying species best suited for Kerala coasts,’’ said C.V.Anand Bose, Forest Secretary. The Government has approached Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and similar institutions for preparing a list of species that will protect land area from landslide, frequent flooding and other calamities. The project, sources said, will also be extended to hinterland. ‘‘We’ll give emphasis on cluster planting and habitat planting. But private landowners have certain apprehensions about getting Government nod for felling trees from their property. The Government is mulling over a legislation that would ease the formalities,’’ sources said. There is also a move for commercial planting of trees. ‘‘We’ve already entered into an agreement with the Hindustan Newsprint Limited. They’ll undertake planting of pulpwood in designated areas. This would help improve green cover over Kerala,’’ Anand Bose said. With a view to encouraging small land holders to take up planting of trees, the Government will act as facilitator for channelising incentives from international agencies. Several global agencies give carbon credit to farmers who plant species that can check proliferation of Carbon Dioxide. Not many in the Kerala State are aware of it. The Government will act as an interface between interested farmers and such agencies,’’ Anand Bose said.
The submerged reefs are created by bags made of geotextile materials. Even though it cannot resist the attack of tsunamis, the reefs can provide protection of the coasts, said Joseph Mathew, director of ASR Ltd, while addressing reporters here on Tuesday. The submerged reefs are nature’s way of protecting the coast and are successfully used in locations worldwide, he said. Artificial reefs are created by bags filled with sand which are laid off the shore at a distance ranging from 200 to 300 metres. The life span of reefs is over 40 years compared to the short life of sea-walls, Joseph said. The bags come with a guarantee of 25 years and the estimated cost of one kilometre of reef will be Rs 3.5 crore. Kerala could use its coir fibres for making geo-textile bags and the cheap labour available in the State would further reduce the cost of the project, he said. With suitable design, offshore reefs in Kerala will be particularly useful in the rough monsoon period for fishing in the reefs shelter and for providing better access for small boats in the water, he said. ‘‘Coastal protection along Kerala has degraded the beach and lowered the commercial and tourist value of the foreshore. We have already submitted a proposal in this regard to the Kerala government as early as in 2001,’’ Joseph said.
She also announced that the state had decided to take on lease private land in coastal areas for putting up temporary dwellings to accommodate families, which had lost their houses in the tsunami. Talking to reporters at Raj Bhavan after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jayalalithaa said that the Rs 5,000 crore was in addition to the Rs 4,800-crore relief sought earlier by the state. She also said that Singh had indicated that a loan could be obtained from the World Bank or Asian Development Bank for the wall. Pointing out that TN had earlier planned a sea wall on a smaller scale, she said wherever sea walls and groynes were in place, the areas had survived the fury of the waves. Before the tsunami, 40 places had been identified as vulnerable. ‘‘In the wake of tsunami the entire coastal area has proved vulnerable and fishermen are in fear and demanding a sea wall.’’ Jayalalithaa said all houses would be constructed 500 metres away from the high-tide line since fishermen themselves didn’t want to live close to the sea. Earlier in the day, she told an all-party meeting that discussed the tsunami damage, relief and rehabilitation measures, that the temporary dwellings planned would hold good for at least a year. ‘‘Permanent houses will be ready within six months.’’ Pointing out that her government had allocated Rs 262.26 crore and the Centre released the first instalment of Rs 250 crore for immediate relief and rehabilitation, Jayalalithaa said, ‘‘I appeal to the leaders of all the parties who are in the Central Government to impress upon the Centre to ensure that we get the Rs 4,800 crore we have sought.’’ Responding to views expressed by several leaders about the delay and lacunae in relief reaching the affected, Jayalalithaa pointed out that the calamity was unprecedented. ‘‘...I understand your feelings but, at the same time, you, too, have to appreciate the measures taken by the government. The tsunami struck on December 26 and by the 30th we completed search and rescue operations and launched the second phase of relief operations. At that time, in Andaman and Nicobar islands and countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, the search and rescue operation were still going on.’’ Jayalalithaa explained the relief measures taken by the government and provided details of the memorandum of assistance submitted to the Centre.
7. Casuarina trees saved this Nagai hamlet, The New Indian Express dated
20/1/05. Naluvedhapathi, 15 km from Vedaranyam, hit the headlines the world over a year ago when its residents and the district administration set a Guinness record of planting 84,200-odd casuarina saplings along a stretch of two kilometres of the coast without interval during planting What made others again look at this village with a finger on the nose is that the plantation, so far considered as the pride of the village, has turned out to be a saviour of its people. It had prevented the tsunami from entering the village and claiming hundreds of lives, besides causing huge destruction to infrastructure on December 26, 2004. Only four women, who happened to be on the coast when the waves struck, and a child had died in this village, while hundreds had passed away elsewhere. ‘‘A few hutments suffered minor damages when sea water flooded Adapparau, a river which has its confluence point in the village, and entered the colony of agricultural labourers through an opening in the river bund. The forest we created has prevented the waves directly hitting the colony and wrecking a havoc,’’ A R Namachivayam, a village youth, recalls. A few solar lamp posts installed by the administration in a park, which was left half done in the village, were also uprooted. ‘‘Besides these, nothing major has happened in our village. Thanks to the plantation,’’ says S Murugan, another villager. Interestingly, when the then collector of Nagapattinam district, Sudeep Singh Jain, had decided to plant casuarina and set a Guinness record, the Naluvedhapathi residents voluntarily donated their lands along the coast for the project. G Sockalingam, a villager who had donated his land, says, ‘‘We even had a slight hesitation before giving our lands to create a forest cover. Now we realised the great use of the plantation.’’ Says N Subbaiyan, the then Deputy Collector who co-ordinated the planting in 2003, ‘‘The initiative drew an unexpected welcome from the villagers. With 300 volunteers including the villagers, we started planting at 7 p.m. on Dec 14 and completed the exercise at 7 p.m. the next day. This record is still unbroken. As a Special Officer on duty here, I went to the village to see how the plantations minimised the damage. They served the purpose for which they were planted.’’ However, the residents of this village remained cool while their neighbours urged protection from the sea. Vellapallam, located on the northern side of Naluvedhapathi, reported 22 deaths and heavy property loss. Similarly the Putpavanam village reported 17 deaths and extensive damage of property. ‘‘Their villages do not have any forest cover. They were on the open land. They want a thick forest cover now,’’ says Sreenivasan. Marine researchers also say that developing a forest cover would be the only solution to prevent such tragedies in future. It may be recalled that Supriya Sahu, Special Officer on Duty, had initiated a drive to plant trees all along coastal villages. Interestingly, Sudeep Singh Jain took up the Naluvedhapathi scheme inspired by Supriya successfully doing a similar project in Nilgiris. Researchers also say that developing a forest cover would be the only solution to prevent such tragedies in future. 8.
Mere seawalls won't do, keep natural cover: experts, The Hindu dated 23/1/05.
By S. Dorairaj
9. For a bio-shield, by S. Viswanathan, The Frontline dated 11/2/05. |