Govt identifies 3 erosion-hit beaches for urgent protection

Panaji: Water Resources Department (WRD) engaged the National Institute of Ocean Technology, CSIR, Chennai, under the National Hydrology Project, with World Bank assistance, to identify beach stretches in Goa requiring coastal erosion mitigation.

The institute has submitted a shoreline management plan for Goa based on data from 1972 to 2020.

In consultation with WRD, three priority sites were identified for intervention — Ashwem beach, Talpona beach, and Coco beach at Nerul.

WRD has sought permission from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to implement the project at the three sites, marking the next step towards addressing long-standing erosion concerns along the coast.

At Ashwem and Talpona, dune protection and sand nourishment measures have been proposed to stabilise the shoreline and prevent further loss of beach area.

At Coco beach, more intensive interventions are planned due to severe and persistent erosion observed over the years.

The proposals include construction of a river training wall at the mouth of the Nerul river, along with shore-normal groynes near the bay to control sediment movement and reduce wave impact. Sand nourishment measures have also been included as part of the strategy.

Earlier, a shoreline change report by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai, showed that along Goa’s 193.9km coastline, the proportion of stable coast declined from 21% to 14%, with around 2.7% of beach area lost to erosion.

Erosion increased from 22% to 27%, while accretion rose marginally from 7% to 9%.

Dutch agency Deltares, engaged by the Goa govt, is working on erosion mitigation. It specialises in applied research in water, subsurface, and infrastructure. In Oct 2023, a Goa delegation, including environment department officials, visited the Netherlands to study Deltares’ projects and explore suitable solutions.

The techniques discussed included beach nourishment, sand motor technology, and strategies tailored to local coastal conditions such as morphology, erosion rates, sediment transport, and vegetation cover.

Goa has expressed interest in piloting beach nourishment or sand motor technology at identified erosion-prone sites.