Andhra Pradesh: Uppada villagers at wits’ end with no solution to sea erosion 

KAKINADA: Six years on, people of eight villages in Kakinada district have been waiting for a permanent solution to tackle coastal erosion even as 150 houses and two temples in Uppada have collapsed in the last five years. High tides erode the coastline every month, leaving people of Uppada, Ameenabad, Suradapeta, Jaggarajupeta, Subbampeta, Mayapatnam, Konapapapeta and Addaripeta in U Kothapalle mandal concerned for their future.

While Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha has notified the Centre regarding the issue, installation of a new geotube sea wall is yet to materialise.In 2005, the then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had approved the construction of a geotube wall, measuring 1.6 km. It eroded six years ago.

“More structures in the villages are on verge of being devoured by the sea. We are at our wits’ end. We hope a lasting solution will come our way before it is too late,” Uppada village sarpanch Ummidi John said.Perumalla Ramu, a resident of Uppada, said they live in constant fear which only increases whenever it rains heavily and the sea swells. 

Vanga Geetha said, “Union Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav expressed his willingness to take up a 3-km long erosion control project in Uppada at an estimated to cost`135 crore. The file pertaining to the proposed project was sent to ENCORE Project Phase - 1 verification. The ministry concerned accepted the file and it was sent to CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) for further approval.”