Visakhapatnam :
Vizag’s pride, the Kursura Submarine Museum may have stood tall against burly 200kmph winds unleashed by Cyclone Hudhud, but the threat of erosion is now posing a danger to one of the city’s biggest attractions with morning walkers on Tuesday observing waves lapping right at the base of the submarine.
According to oceanography experts, the area around the only submarine museum in South Asia may witness further erosion – especially the area north of Kursura and up to 50 metres behind the museum.
In fact, post cyclone Hudhud, erosion is being witnessed all along the coast, including behind the Vuda Park near the East Point Lighthouse and also a nearly 200-metre stretch in Bheemili.
Experts said that the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (Vuda) in consultation with the Indian Navy should immediately take up measures to protect Kursura, which was India’s fourth submarine and served for nearly 31 years.
“In the last two days, high winds have been hitting the coast due to the onset of the north-east monsoon due to which the sea waves are also increasing. A situation similar to the one that took place earlier this year, when one portion of Beach Road collapsed, may occur in the next few months,” said an oceanography expert from Andhra University.
Concurring, another ocean scientist warned: “Earlier the protection wall served as a defence for the submarine, but now the northern side is also exposed. In the next four months, due to the sea currents flowing from north to south, the area in front of Kursura and immediately behind it is likely to witness more erosion.”
“We are noticing that now the sand deposition is taking place near RK Beach and Coastal Battery side due to coastal currents,” he said while pointing out that the rate of deposition is less than the rate of erosion.
Meanwhile, sources at Vuda lamented that the lack of a full-time vice-chairman was hampering the urban development body from taking any decisions. A Vuda official said, “We have cleaned up the submarine museum premises, but we can’t allow visitors from a safety and security point of view because the sea side stretch is now open without the protection wall.”
“Even though the Indian Navy is regularly monitoring the situation, we have to take up work immediately for raising the protection wall failing which it can cause further damage.”
“About 275 metres length of wall has to be built and landscaping needs to be taken up, but as of now the in-charge vice chairman (who is also the EPDCL CMD) is himself busy with restoring power lines across north coastal districts, so the state government has to understand the situation and depute a full-time VC.”
Meanwhile, a Navy spokesperson said the Navy was planning to do the needful and something more “permanent and lasting” to secure the unique museum.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / by Manish, TNN / October 29th, 2014