Team Herald
MARGAO: The state government is aware of the growing threat of coastal erosion along Goa’s shoreline and is working on a strategy that safeguards tourism while addressing environmental concerns. As part of this effort, the government is seeking technical guidance from Deltares, a Netherlands-based institute, and financial assistance from the World Bank.
“We recently held a conference on this issue and have initiated discussions with Deltares, which was chosen for its experience in tackling similar challenges in countries like Norway and Denmark. Their expertise has proven effective in controlling soil erosion to a large extent,” Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira said while speaking to the media.
The government is currently compiling various reports to be submitted to Deltares for review and recommendations. However, Sequeira stressed that any intervention must align with the state’s tourism interests.
“Tourism relies heavily on our beaches. While conventional protective measures such as tripods may safeguard the coastline, they could also disrupt tourists who prefer open and unobstructed shorelines. We are still evaluating alternative solutions and will finalise an approach after careful consideration. Additionally, we are identifying a suitable location for a pilot project before implementing the plan on a larger scale,” he explained