ALAPPUZHA: Sea erosion and rain have wreaked havoc in various parts of the coastal district for the last two days. Several families on the coasts of Thumboli, Arattupuzha, Purakkad and other areas are reeling under the threat of evacuation with the sea inching closer to their houses.

An Environment Ministry order issued on November 3 banning ports and harbours on hotspot stretches on the beaches will not stop the CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) projects that have been already started, the ministry sources clarified on Monday.

Though having banned infrastructural projects in the country's high erosion prone coastlines, the Environment Ministry is still undecided about its course of action over those that have already been granted the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance in such areas but which are yet to take off.

Amid concerns over the adverse impact of unchecked construction activities in the ecologically sensitive coastal zones of the country, the Environment Ministry on Tuesday came out with a new set of

The Environment Ministry on Tuesday laid down strict conditions for allowing new projects and expansion of ports, harbours and jetties, lifting the ban clamped in August.
This follows receipt of the report on coastal erosion and accretion sought by an expert committee headed by Prof M S Swaminathan that was constituted to review comments on the draft Coastal Management Zone 2008.

Rajiv Shah | TNN

BHUBANESWAR: The average financial loss of the State per annum due to different disasters has been estimated at Rs 1,241.82 crore.

S M Arun |Thoothukudi,

CORAL MINING: GULF OF MANNAR LOSING ISLANDSTHOUGH Gulf of Mannar is said to consist of 21 islands, the elite biosphere reserve has already lost two of its small islands taking the present tally to only 19 islands. The two small islands that submerged in the sea were Vilanguchalli in Thoothukudi group and Poovarasanpatti in Keezhakkarai group of islands.