Amid the escalating protest against the slow progress of removing the accumulated sand from the mouth of the Muthalapozhi harbour channel, the State government on Tuesday made clear that it will not allow anyone to whip up tension in the coastal region. Labour Minister V. Sivankutty and Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil accused a section in the region of indulging in a conspiracy to deliberately create tension in the fishing hamlet of Muthalapozhi.
The removal of sand is already progressing in the harbour mouth, where the accumulation of sandbars has rendered the fishing vessels incapable of being navigated through the treacherous channel. Currently, four excavators, dredgers, tippers, etc., are pressed into service to remove the accumulated sand. In addition, two more excavators will arrive at the spot soon. A large dredger being brought from Kannur has already passed Beypore, and it will arrive at the spot soon.
The decision to remove the sand was taken at a meeting of Ministers, and the State is of the view that there should be a situation where fishing is not hindered by the accumulation of sand. Amid this development, a section including fishermen and their representatives has been trying to create issues in the region by orchestrating protests in the coastal village, said the Ministers.
Harbour development
The sandbar will be removed urgently, as any delay in cutting open the sandbar will lead to a flooding situation in five panchayats in the event of rains. It is also vital for the State government to implement the ₹177 crore project for the development of the Muthalapozhi fishing harbour.
The Union government has already approved the project, and the State has entered the tender procedures. Vizhinjam International Seaport developer Adani Group, which has signed an agreement with the Harbour Engineering department for dredging the navigation channel of the harbour, has concluded its work recently after the expiry of its contract agreement.
The issue in the Muthalapozhi harbour will become more complex with the onset of the southwest monsoon, which will aggravate coastal erosion along the region with rough seas lashing the shores. The main issue in the navigation channel is the huge perennial deposition of sand brought by waves. If the accumulated sandbar has closed the navigation channel now, during monsoon season, the deposition of sand at the mouth and inside the channel makes it shallow, resulting in wave breaking and repeated accidents involving fishing vessels. When the channel becomes shallow, the height of waves naturally increases, making navigation of fishing vessels difficult.
Published – April 22, 2025 09:06 pm IST
