Beach nourishment with dredged sludge mitigates coastal erosion in West Kochi within Kochi Corporation limits

The intrusion of seawater and the resulting erosion of the shoreline have significantly decreased along the coastal areas of West Kochi within the Kochi Corporation limits, adjacent to the highly vulnerable Chellanam panchayat, thanks to the reported beach nourishment through the deposition of dredged sludge along select stretches of the shore over the past few months.

However, the Cochin Port Authority (CPA) has officially denied depositing dredged sludge along the coast, a long-standing demand of the erosion-affected coastal population in Chellanam. When contacted, CPA officials said the dredged sludge continues to be deposited offshore, around 25 km from the coast, as before. This is despite coastal residents witnessing barges depositing sludge along the shore almost daily.

Nearly 4 km of coastline at Saudi, Manasserry, and Beach Road — falling under the Manasserry and Fort Kochi divisions of the Corporation — has benefited from the reported sludge deposits since around May.

“Earlier, it was done late at night, and those engaged in night fishing had spotted it. But more recently, it is being done more openly during mornings and evenings. The shore is now quite calm, and we have been spared from sea intrusion since Karkidavavu,” said Reena Sabu, 55, a resident of Saudi.

Office-bearers of the Chellanam Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi met Union Minister for Ports and Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal and submitted a memorandum during his visit to Kochi on August 25, 2025. Following this, his Additional Private Secretary wrote to the CPT chairman on August 27 requesting an examination of the organisation’s appeal to use dredged material for beach nourishment instead of dumping it offshore. The Vedhi office-bearers plan to meet the CPA chairman next week regarding the matter.

But worsens in other areas

“Sludge deposits have increased since. Although the sludge is being dumped along the shore at Kaithaveli, Kattiparambu, and Cheriyakkadavu within the Chellanam panchayat limits, it is being washed into adjoining Corporation divisions due to the north-eastern currents. However, sea incursion has worsened in areas of Chellanam south of these Corporation divisions as a consequence. To effectively protect the nearly 20-km stretch of shoreline between Chellanam and Fort Kochi from coastal erosion, sludge should be deposited along the entire coast,” said V.T. Sebastian, general convener of the Vedhi.

He further called for a network of groynes or a breakwater wall along the Beach Road area to prevent the sludge from being washed away.