Arresting coastal decline, preserving land in the face of severe weather

The Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department is engaged in preserving a two-kilometre stretch of coastal line between Kahawa and Thelwatta identified as a critically damaged area.

Director General of the Department, Eng R A S Ranawaka told the Sunday Times that they have to engage in re-structuring in some places identified in the area as well as building new structures.

He added the project was completed at a cost of

Rs150 million.

Eng Ranawaka explained that the project was undertaken as sea water washed over the land in Ambalangoda to Galle during the monsoonal period of May-September.

Eng Ranawaka explained that the saline water damaged the environment as well as the road nearby.

He elaborated that this project was one of the biggest projects of the 32 coast conservation projects around the country done by their department.

“We started this project in March, and have currently completed 85 percent of it. We plan to finish the project by early December,” he said.

Eng Ranawaka added that they started planting trees in the area as a measure to reduce damages occurring to the coast by coastal erosion and coastal over-topping due to high waves and monsoonal rains.

He said that they have planned to carry out a separate 150-metre long special coastal protection project at Arugam Bay using Geo bags. He pointed out that this environment-friendly project, which is the first of its kind, would be carried out at Arugam Bay to preserve the uniqueness of the beach and the preservation of the causes of tourism in the area.

“Next week we are going to start that project. We did a pilot project of 100-metres in Galle using sand-filled Geo bags and understood it is effective. Next year we are planning to do four sites using sand-filled Geo bags,” he said.

He said that as the Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department, they have power to remove any illegal development in coastal areas which changes the physical nature of it, without a court order.

He said that they have already removed 1,400 illegal developments so far this year.

“Our coastline is 1,620km long. All 32 coast conservation projects were started this year, of which around 4.2km are scheduled to be completed by this year,” he said.

He added that the projects in Talaimannar, Kalutara Kalido, Lunawa, Oluvil, Nintavur are almost completed.

Eng Ranawaka said that a 2,000m additional coastal conservation will also be done by this year as emergency conservation projects. Rs760 million has been allocated for coastal conservation projects, this year, to address coast erosion. However, they have so far achieved only 40% financial progress.

He added that Kandakuliya in Kalpitiya is the best example for the coastal reformation by nature as about 500 acres of land was added to the country in that area during the last 50 years.