Rajendra Kumar Devarapalli
Visakhapatnam, along with all its natural resources including human beings is luckiest than any other coastal city in India or for that matter one of the most peaceful, at the same time happening city in the world too. And among all its natures’ gifts the coast line, the beaches, the tidal waves who touches the sands on the shore, the surf that sails on those waves, are the real boon .No one can dare to imagine Vizag sans its beaches. Many a tourist never misses to have a glance at the beach even it’s raining cats and dogs or under the tormenting sun. And it is no wonder occasionally even many Vizagites too appreciate the scenic beauty of the city’s shores particularly when accompanying their guests or superior officers tormenting.
Hailed as the’ industrial hub of Andhra Pradesh, steel city, Bay City,port city and what not who ever likes the sinister beauty of the Vizag they used to call and popularise the city with their own christening. Visakhapatnam has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. male literacy is 74% and female literacy is 63%. In Visakhapatnam, 10% of the population is younger than six.With such an extraordinary literacy rate it highly lamentable to witness the sorrowful state of the beaches in and arounfd the city.
But there is a small solace for the Vizagites and other officials to counter the blame since, Andhra Pradesh has nearly 1000 kilometers of coastline with eight of its 23 districts having direct access to the sea with azure water caressing the golden sands. Starting from Bheemunipatnam near Visakhapatnam down to Mypadu in Nellore district, the coastline of Andhra Pradesh offers unparallel joy to the sun worshippers and sea bathers. Apart from Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam beaches, there are other famous beaches such as Manginapudi, Kakinada, Chirala, Kalingapatnam and Mypadu all of them are under sheer negligence by the people and bureaucracy as well.
The recent hue and cry about the higher tidal waves and the beach erosion as it was proved repeatedly ins momentary and after a few days or weeks every one would forget until next happening at the same spot with more loss to the beach sand surface.The erosion of the beaches is not confined to the state,but about 23 percent of India’s mainland coastline of 5423 kms is getting affected by erosion, according to a survey.
India’s total coastline was about 7517 km, about 5423 km along the mainland and 2094 km in the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. The coastline comprised of headlands, promontories, rocky shores, sandy spits, barrier beaches, open beaches, embayment, estuaries, inlets, bays, marshy land and offshore islands. According to the naval hydrographic charts, the Indian mainland has nearly 43 percent sandy beaches, 11 percent rocky coast with cliffs and 46 percent mud flats and marshy coast.
Oscillation of the shoreline along the country’s coast was seasonal, the report said adding some of the beaches regain their original profiles by March-April. But about 50 percent of the beaches that did not regain their original shape over an annual cycle underwent net erosion, it said. Shoreline erosion in the northern regions of Chennai, Ennore, Visakhapatnam and Paradip Ports had resulted due to construction of breakwaters of the respective port.
On sedimentary coasts, coastal erosion typically poses more of a danger to human
Settlements than it does to nature itself. Dunwich, the capital of the English
medieval wool trade, disappeared over the space of a few centuries due to
redistribution of sediment by waves. Human interference can also increase
coastal erosion: Hallsands in Devon, England, was a coastal village that was
washed away overnight, an event possibly exacerbated by dredging of shingle in
the bay in front of it.The California coast, which has soft cliffs of sedimentary rock and is heavily populated, regularly has incidents of housing damage as cliffs erode. Damage in
Pacifica is shown at right. Devil’s Slide, Santa Barbara and Malibu are
regularly affected.
Regarding our very own Vizag beaches ,Experts says though there is no immediate threat to the Vizag-Bhimili beach road, there is every danger of the waves finding their way to the road and beyond, if the shore erosion goes unchecked, in the course of the next hundred years. Mr. N.S.N. Raju, a technical officer of the National Institute of Oceanography, an expert on the matters like beach erosions and the like and for decades studying the ‘beach profiles’. Currently he has undertaken a research project on beach erosion between Visakhapatnam Harbour and Bheemunipatnam. Mr.Raju explains that “the maximum erosion was seen at the beach near the Submarine Museum and at the spot opposite INS Kalinga, near Bheemunipatnam. Developing vegetation on the beaches especially raising casuarina plantations, nourishment of beaches, construction of groynes and seawalls can go a long way in checking erosion. The wave action on the coast as a result of winds is the main source for either deposition or erosion of sand on the beach.”
And while factors like rise in sea level, as a result of global warming, are universal, their impact could be felt only after a very long period of time. “The local factors like geomorphology of the coast play an important role in deposition and erosion of sand on the beaches,” he elaborates. “The maximum erosion was seen at the beach near the Submarine Museum and at the spot opposite INS Kalinga, near Bheemunipatnam. Developing vegetation on the beaches especially raising casuarina plantations, nourishment of beaches, construction of groynes and seawalls can go a long way in checking erosion. The wave action on the coast as a result of winds is the main source for either deposition or erosion of sand on the beach,” says Mr. Raju. “During the South West Monsoon, which brings rain to coastal Andhra, sediment deposition is seen from south to north coast. However, when there are obstructions like hillocks protruding into the sea, construction of harbours and the like, they act as barriers for carrying the sand further north,” he adds. About four decades ago, the seawater lashed the beach road and boulders were dumped along the coast as an emergency measure to stop the surging seawater and to protect the beach Mr.raju reminds.
From Gangavaram to Pydibheemavaram the coastal line and the sea was polluted with avast varieties of industries and human activities.The loopholes in the Coastal zone regulations has became an safe escape route for a number of offenders who are constantly violating the rules. creation, Sustenance and destroying are the three fundamental duties of the mother nature.Man a mere mortal can not create a single piece of nature except his own image is able to sustain but he preferring the third one the most unwanted aspect that is destroying the bounty around him.Without a clear sighted vision to immerse in the nature without any inhibitions will only restore the supremacy of the nature, environment which will ultimately benefit all.
