THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has appointed a four-member expert committee to study whether the construction of Vizhinjam port is causing coastal erosion. The main demand put forward by the committee protesting against the Vizhinjam port is to conduct a study on coastal erosion by stopping the construction.

The committee is chaired by MD Kudale, former Additional Director, Central Water and Power Research Station. The other members of the committee are Riji John, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi; Tejal Kanitkar, associate professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; and P K Chandramohan, former chief engineer, Kandla Port Trust. The government did not accept the request of the Latin Archdiocese to include the fishermen's representative in the committee.

In 2014, the Union Ministry of Environment had given permission for the construction of Vizhinjam port. Although some approached the National Green Tribunal against this, permission was given for construction. Construction started in 2015. As per the directives of the National Green Tribunal and Ministry of Environment, coastal changes and various factors related to the environment are being continuously monitored within a 20 km radius of the port construction site.

This report will be examined every six months by experts appointed by the National Green Tribunal. The order states that no coastal erosion has been detected.

Govt has kept its word: Minister

Minister Ahamed Devarkovil said that the government has fulfilled the chief minister's promise to appoint a committee to study coastal erosion. "With this, the government has accepted all the demands of the protest committee except the demand to stop the construction of the port. In this situation, the concerned should stop the strike," the minister said.