PANAJI: The state government issued an order declaring the grounded vessel River Princess at Candolim a state disaster and temporary measures to mitigate erosion of the shoreline are on fast track. Work to tow away the ship may have to wait till after the monsoon.
"Estimates are being prepared for the government's approval to control erosion during the monsoon. These are based on a report submitted by a team of consultants from the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune after a survey at the site and is being done on a fast track," said an official on condition of anonymity on Tuesday.
The revenue department issued the order on Monday and authorities expect that the government will be in a position to mobilize resources from the Centre in the form of funds and manpower under the state disaster management authority to mitigate the effects of the catastrophe. This will help in treating the beach erosion near the grounded vessel, sources said.
However, revenue Minister Jose Philip D'Souza said, "Central assistance for disaster management is barely Rs 2 crore and is inadequate even for flooding of rivers."
The project to halt further devastation of the 1.1-km shoreline on Dando-Sinquerim beach envisages use of geotextile tubes or geo tubes underwater to break the fury of the waves. "This will help control further erosion and some dredging near the ship may also be done," sources from water resources department said.
"A central committee may also inspect the Candolim beach," sources said. Chief minister Digambar Kamat had stated that a special committee may be formed to deal exclusively with the disaster.
However, as the sea is already choppy due to the approaching monsoon, villagers are resigned to having the vessel for yet another monsoon.
Fermino Fernandes, convenor River Princess Hatao Manch expressed the hope that the government awards the work order at the earliest. "The work order should have a clause that the contractor begins preparations during the monsoon so that this can facilitate removal of the vessel immediately after the monsoons."
The Election Commission of India had recently granted its approval to the government's move to treat the grounded vessel as a state disaster.
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