A team of World Bank visited the sea-erosion-affected pockets in Odisha's Kendrapara district and inspected the Pentha coast, the site of the state's geo-synthetic seawall project.
The four-member team headed by Project Technical Adviser (World Bank), Micheal Hanui on a visit yesterday to the natural-calamity-prone district also assessed the extensive sea erosion trend in the seaside hamlets.
"World Bank will fund the projects to reduce vulnerability to cyclone and other hydro-meteorological hazards of coastal communities in Odisha. Comprehensive project to tame the magnitude of sea erosion also stays on our agenda," said Micheal Hanui.
The World Bank panel suggested the expeditious implementation of geo-synthetic tube seawall project in sea-erosion-hit Pentha coast.
Pentha coast in Kendrapara district is being constantly battered by marauding sea waves, prompting the state government to install geo-synthetic buffer on the embankment to arrest sea erosion. Over a dozen thickly populated human settlements are still lying exposed following massive erosion along the coastline.
The construction work of Odisha's first geo-tube seawall project was suspended midway in July last following alleged lopsided installation of synthetic tube.
The Rs 31.4 crore worth seawall project was scheduled for completion by July, 2015. However, the deadline for completion of the project has now been rescheduled to January, 2016, said officials.
The panel was also apprised of the devastation wrought by marauding sea in Satabhaya coast in the district. Measures to tame sea erosion in vulnerable pockets of the coastal district were also deliberated during the World Bank panel's visit, said Executive Engineer, Saline Embankment Division, Jugal Kishore Tripathy.
