Protecting coastal village from nature's fury: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has directed the state government to take immediate steps to protect the lives and properties of people living in a coastal village in Ernakulam district, as they face the fury of nature every monsoon.

In an interim order on a petition projecting the plight of the residents of Chellanam near here, Justice V G Arun pulled up the government for the delay in completing the sea wall.

The court said it had directed periodical reports to be filed regarding the progress of the construction of a temporary sea wall with geo bags and tubes.

"Reports stating various reasons for the delay in completing the sea wall were seen filed. But, in view of the advent of this year's monsoon and the impending onslaught by the sea, mere filing of reports will not suffice," the court had said in its order on June 2.

"It is necessary that immediate steps are taken to protect the lives and properties of the people living on the coastal reaches at Chellanam," the court said.