Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta on Thursday raised the issue of recurring sea erosion along vulnerable coastal stretches of Dakshina Kannada district, particularly the Ullal-Someshwara belt, in the Lok Sabha.Chowta said he highlighted the gravity of the situation during the session. Out of the district’s 36.7km coastline, nearly 17.7km, or 48.4%, is classified as eroding, which is significantly higher than the state average of 24% and the national average of 33.6%. Only about 21.9% of Dakshina Kannada’s coastline remains stable, a figure much lower than that of neighbouring coastal districts. Repeated monsoon wave action, shifting coastal patterns, climate variability, and certain unplanned coastal interventions contributed to shoreline retreat in several locations, he noted.“The coastal erosion led to damage to houses, roads, and public infrastructure, while also posing a serious threat to the livelihoods of traditional fishing communities dependent on coastal ecosystems. With the southwest monsoon approaching, there is a need for immediate preventive and mitigation measures to safeguard vulnerable coastal habitations,” he said.Capt Chowta urged the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, in coordination with the ministry of earth sciences, to formulate a comprehensive district-level coastal protection plan for Dakshina Kannada and to allocate dedicated financial support for urgent coastal protection and mitigation works. He stressed that timely intervention was critical to protecting coastal communities and ensuring the long-term stability of the district’s shoreline.
