Coastal Protection

The Project in Focus

• Location: The protection work is focused along the coastline near villages like Pedda Mynavarani Lanka (P.M. Lanka) in Narsapuram Mandal.
• Technology: The project utilizes Geo-Tubes (or sand-filled geobags/geotextile tubes). These are massive, durable, fabric cylinders filled with sand and laid strategically along the beach.
• Function: Geo-tubes act as a flexible but robust barrier, absorbing the energy of the crashing waves and preventing high tides and storm surges from washing away the shoreline. They are a favored modern method for coastal defense, often preferred over traditional concrete sea walls for their lower environmental impact and natural appearance.
• Length and Status: Work is reportedly underway on a one-kilometre-long stretch of the coast, with the aim of completing the project to secure the shoreline before the major onset of the monsoon or cyclone season.

Importance to the Community

Coastal erosion poses a direct threat to the lives and livelihoods of local residents, especially the fishing communities in villages like P.M. Lanka.

• Protecting Homes: The erosion often encroaches directly on village habitation, threatening to displace families.
• Securing Land: The geo-tubes safeguard valuable coastal land and infrastructure from the relentless wave action.
• Disaster Mitigation: The project serves as a crucial line of defense during intense weather events like the cyclones that frequently impact the Andhra Pradesh coast, such as the recent severe cyclonic storm, Montha.