After successful implementation at Poonthura, Kovalam to get innovative coastal protection

Kovalam: An innovative project is all set to be implemented for the protection of Kovalam's popular tourist coast. The initiative aims to prevent sea erosion and coastal degradation, thereby fostering a serene and calm environment along the shoreline. The plan involves installing sand-filled geotubes in the deep sea, at a specific distance from the shore.

The success of a similar project implemented in Poonthura paved the way for its proposed execution in Kovalam. The Coastal Development Corporation formulated the project document, drawing from a study report by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai.

Each monsoon season, Kovalam's coast endures severe sea attacks and persistent coastal encroachment. This ongoing erosion of the tourist coastline represents a significant setback for the tourism sector. The new project emerges as a solution to this challenge. With an allocation of ₹10 crore, the project is currently awaiting government approval. According to Corporation officials, the geotubes will be positioned in the sea at a depth of 4 to 5 metres, 150 to 200 metres from the shore.

Officials further explained that because the tubes will be installed below the surface, they will not impede the natural state of the sea. A key advantage, as highlighted by those associated with the project, is that waves exceeding one meter in height will naturally dissipate upon reaching the geotubes. The subsequent stretch of sea leading towards the shore will then remain calm. During low tide, it will even be possible to walk through this calmed section of the sea. Officials also affirm the project's eco-friendly nature.

Each 20-metre long geotube, once filled with sand, will weigh 250 tons. These will be arranged in four rows, with each row spanning 10 metres in length. Project stakeholders anticipate that the attractive color of the tubes will encourage the formation of a rich fish habitat, leading to an abundance of fish. The proposed implementation areas for the project are the coastal waters off Kovalam's Hawa Beach and Lighthouse Beach.