Around Rs 55 crore has been spent thus far on dealing with sea erosion in Goa. The money came from a Rs 200 crore fund from the centre to deal with this problem. But the problem still persists and will perhaps continue to, unless the State recognises that it is not just measures that need to be put in place to combat erosion in places that are faced with it, but there is also a need to deal with the factors that cause this problem in the first place. A little bit of ‘prevention is better than cure’ is needed. At the moment, the State is locking the barn door after the horse has bolted.
No doubt, we have to plant creepers and cactii, place tetrapods, sandbags with nets and put many things in place, in locations like Keri, Velsao and other beaches where erosion has devastated the coastline. But perhaps it would also be prudent to investigate the factors caused by humans that have led to this. We cannot deal with the vagaries of nature, that have resulted in soil erosion, but we can surely deal with human interference on this front.
Sea storms and other such natural phenomenons cause soil erosion. Nature’s defence against itself comes in the form of lagoons, coral reefs and sand dunes. Each of these have their own role to play in defending the shore against erosion. But, when coastal regulation zones are disrespected and illegall development takes place, it puts these defences in harm’s way. All along the coast, especially in tourism hotspot areas, sand dunes are in serious danger. Development has led to their destruction in many areas. Mangroves and coral reefs have been weakened. Our natural protection has been ‘holes’.
The danger of this situation getting worse is that we will soon see a gradual degradation of Goa’s shores, to the extent that the once shallow beaches will become deep. Swimming there will get dangerous. Shacks will have to be stopped from being built. In fact, the very tourism industry that the illegal coastal development was hoping to exploit will be destroyed by it. This is not a farfetched doomsday theory. If coastal degradation continues, it will be a reality.
So what then? Perhaps it is time to start with beach carrying capacity studies. A proper mapping of Goa’s shores needs to be undertaken, very much like the one done by the apex body for coastal protection measures, the coastal protection and development advisory committee. All this data will help us understand our shores better and pinpoint the weak spots.
But right now, we need to fix the situation on the beaches that are affected, while at the same time, start enforcing stringent coastal protection norms. If not, we’ll lose our beaches.
