NAGAPATTINAM: The sea is continuing to erode the shores of Pattinachery in Nagore. Villagers are alleging seawater continues to enter their homes at night during the ongoing monsoon season, especially at high tide.
"The government gave us hope with the announcement of groynes many months ago, but nothing has happened since then. We still demand a seawall to protect us from erosion. The waters are affecting our livelihoods and spaces to keep our boats are shrinking as well," said T Sakthivel, a village representative.
The hamlet has a population of around 1,500 and fishers own 350 fiberglass boats. Pattinachery has groynes on the south side of the Vettaru river.
The Tamil Nadu government announced a project of laying groynes at a cost of Rs 20 crore on the north side of the river for about 350 metres in July, but there have been no further developments.
“We have not received the Government Order yet,” said a Fisheries department official.
Many people who were residing in huts on the shores were given row houses post-tsunami in 2004, but these are now crumbling.
A revenue official, said, “The government is planning to renovate the tsunami houses at a cost of Rs 350 crore and provide land documents for those who live in them.”
Plans for the renovation of rowhouses have done little for those who reside in huts.
“Expanding families over the past 15 years led many of us to reside in huts next to the shores. Besides, what is the use of living in concrete buildings if water enters them? We demand a seawall to stop the erosion and laying of groyne stones on the north side of the Vettaru river as announced,” said C Nagarathinam, another village representative.