Odisha's 1st geo-tube seawall project in Kendrapara

IIT-Chennai has accorded the 'go ahead' to the much-awaited sea-erosion-control project after its experts conducted wide-ranging scientific and morphological study of the vulnerable sea coast.

"It has submitted the report. The premier institute has also approved the technical design and plan of the anti-sea-erosion project at Pentha in Rajnagar tehsil. Tender bid of Rs 22 crore project is being invited. We hope work will start this winter," Executive Engineer, saline embankment division, Jugal Kishore Tripathy said.

The sea wall where geo-tube barrier will be installed would come up at an estimated Rs 22 crore.

The embankment height would run up to 7.4 metre. The tidal surge rises up to 5 metre during cyclonic storm. Thus it could withstand the ingress of tidal waves. The length of the embankment would be 675 metre instead of 700 metre as it was earlier planned, he said.

 

IIT experts had conducted scientific study of the erosion-prone coast for installation of geo-tube sea wall to save a cluster of highly-threatened hamlets in the district.

Oceanographic experts deputed by IIT-Chennai had studied, among other things the beach profile, moisture content of sand particles, morphology of the eroded beach, intensity, frequency and velocity of waves, Tripathy said.

Of the 480-km long coastline in the state, 39.3 km is undergoing various degrees of sea erosion. The Pentha coast set for geo-synthetic tube refurbishment comes under high erosion zone, officials said. (MORE)