Odisha to fix coast erosion though natural process

Bhubaneswar, Aug 17: The Odisha government today said it would check the sea erosion in Puri coast through natural process and avoid constructing any structure on the beach which will mar the beauty of the coast.

"No structure will be constructed on the beach to reduce the erosion as it will affect the scenic beauty of the coast. We will like to repair the beach by natural process," Water Resources secretary Pradip Kular Jena told reporters. Stating that an expert team from IIT-Madras had visited the spot, Jena said they will suggest the state on how to check the erosion.

"We have started digging out the Mangala river mouth once again. The work is halted due to rain. It will take another seven to eight days to complete the process. We expect this will help check erosion at Swargadwar (a cremation ground on the beach)," Jena said about the steps taken by the state government to check the erosion. If the process helps in the rebuilding process, no artificial methods will be followed, he said.

The beach near Swargadwar has been severely affected due to ingress of the Bay of Bengal. The local administration has hoisted red flag at the spot, preventing tourists to take bath near Swargadwar. Life guards have also been deployed in the area.

The state government has also identified beaches near Paradip port, Gopalpur port, Chilika lake, Puri, Satabhaya and Pentha in Kendrapara district as erosion prone.

PTI