Pulicat sandbar mouth opening to be a reality

Tirupati: The long-pending proposal for opening of sea mouth into Pulicat lake in Rayadaruvu on the northern side of Satish Dhawan Space Centre is moving ahead towards becoming a reality with the Central team of the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways is expected to visit the place. This will facilitate increased water flow into the Pulicat lake and help maintain the environment ecosystem and the livelihood of fishermen in the area.

It may be recalled that the sea mouths opened wide due to the impact of Tsunami in 2004, the unusual sand accumulations made the sea mouths narrowed down completely in 2008 due to lack of flow of fresh water into the lake. As such the mouths were closed with silt. The issue has become complicated since then with no solution found so far. Fish have been depleting year by year, thereby affecting the livelihood of about 20,000 fishermen living in nearly 20 habitations along the lake.

Tirupati MP Dr M Gurumoorthy has made several efforts in getting approvals from the Central government for opening of sea mouth into the lake. As the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways maintained that it was committed to provide assistance for the restoration of Pulicat lake ecosystem under Coastal community development pillar of Sagarmala programme, the state government also sent the required proposal from its side.

The detailed project report (DPR) was also prepared by National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai. It proposed an estimated cost of Rs 128.20 crore for the project to be undertaken. However, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways made it clear that the state government should approve the DPR with the financial commitment of 50 percent of total project cost.

Accordingly, the AP government has written another letter to the Joint Secretary of Sagarmala project approving the DPR and for 50 percent cost sharing which amounts to Rs 64.40 crore on its part and sought the administrative sanction of the Central ministry.

The MP has also raised the issue several times in the Lok Sabha and personally met the Ministers concerned.

Speaking to The Hans India, Dr Gurumoorthy said that he met the joint secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Bhushan Kumar at New Delhi on Tuesday and explained the importance of the project. He also recalled that the issue was under the purview of the fisheries ministry which has made some suggestions to the AP government.

“The joint secretary has said that he will soon visit the Pulicat lake along with a central team to study the project again before starting the implementation process. I have sought him to provide necessary approvals at the earliest to help the fishermen to get their livelihood”, the MP maintained.