Eroded stretches of Betalbatim, Keri, Talpona beaches to be restored soon

Published on: August 26, 2010 - 00:45

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BY JOAO SOUSA M | NT

PANAJI: The water resources department (WRD) will soon take up restoration work of the beaches at Betalbatim, Keri and Talpona at an estimated cost of Rs 13.1 crore, following recommendations from the Central Water and Power Research Centre.

The WRD had earlier submitted names of 20 beaches to the Central Water and Power Research Centre for conducting a study to arrest seashore erosion. Over 20-25 km of Goa’s coastline has already been eroded.

A senior official in the know said that the WRD will take up restoration of around 2.3 km of the affected coastline. The beaches earlier submitted by the WRD to the Central Water and Power Research Centre, which is the research and development unit of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, included Anjuna, Candolim, Arambol, Keri, Betalbatim, Kanaguinim, Talpona, Galgibag and Utorda among others.

The official said that the central agency has conducted a study and has given recommendations for restoring the beaches of Keri, Betalbatim and Talpona, based on which the WRD is taking up the restoration work.

The official further said that the work on Keri beach is likely to commence by mid-October and added that the tendering process is in progress. A stretch of 300 metres will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 4.3 crore. As part of the restoration work, tetrapods with revetments made of pre-cast cement concrete hexagonal blocks would be placed on the shore to arrest sand erosion, said the official.

Similarly, the department will take up restoration work on about 1.8-km stretch of the Betalbatim beach. Elaborating on this, the official said one kilometre of the beach would be restored on the Majorda side while work on 800 metres would be taken up on the Colva side of the beach. Work on a stretch of the beach had already been taken up, earlier. Gabions with pre-cast cement concrete hexagonal blocks will be used on the Betalbatim shore at an estimated cost of Rs 7.5 crore. Restoration work on a stretch of about 300 metres will also be taken up at the Talpona beach at an estimated cost of Rs 1.3 crore.