The construction of the much-delayed geo-synthetic tube seawall project to arrest sea erosion along Pentha coast in Kendrapara district would take off in November first week. This is the State’s first geo-synthetic tube wall.
The deadline for completion of the `33-crore worth project has been set for June 2015. A Pune-based private firm which has been awarded the contract work of the project by way of global tender bidding is gearing up to start work with its skilled manpower and machineries.
The seawall project forms part of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (ICZMP) and is funded by World Bank.
The project is being implemented under the technical expertise and guidance of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai, to protect the vulnerable coast from the onslaught of the sea.
A high-level team headed by Water Resources department Principal Secretary Pradeep Jena had inspected the project site recently.
Emphasis was laid on expeditious resumption of the project work. The damage caused to the shoreline by recent Hudhud cyclonic impact was also assessed.
Following the impact of cyclone Hudhud on October 12, the existing coastal embankment at Pentha was battered by tidal waves. The vulnerable embankment had undergone damage, thus posing threat to the nearby villages.
The Saline embankment division is also contemplating to bring up seawall at Satabhaya which is undergoing severe sea erosion. A project worth Rs 1 crore is being planned for the proposed protective embankment. As the said area comes under forest and coastal regulation zone, required environment clearance would also be sought for, said executive engineer JK Tripathy.