P.B. George, a 42-year-old daily wage earner, has taken a break from his usual work. His current focus? Bringing his family’s home back to life after it was swallowed by the sea.
For over eighteen months, George, his wife Sibi (39), and their two sons (aged 10 and 15) lived in a rented house, forced out when the ocean relentlessly encroached upon their Puthenthode home in Chellanam in June 2024. Now, they are ready to return.
“The workshop and bathroom were utterly destroyed by the raging waves,” explains Ms. George, a homemaker who took a job at a textile shop to help cover the rising costs, including a ₹5,000 monthly rent. “We’ve managed to build two new rooms on the side less vulnerable to the sea. The repairs alone have already cost us around ₹75,000.”
Their decision to return wasn’t made lightly. The family faces eviction from their rented accommodation as the owner plans to sell. With no other affordable options, their hope now rests on the government’s pledge: a second phase of tetrapod seawall construction. This crucial project, estimated at ₹306 crore, will span 3.60 km from Puthenthode to Cheriyakkadavu in Chellanam.
V.T. Sebastian, general convenor of the Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi – a local organization tirelessly advocating for a permanent solution to sea erosion – confirms this sentiment. “Many families in the hardest-hit areas like Puthenthode, Kannamaly, and Cheriyakkadavu are returning to their abandoned homes, placing their faith in the government’s assurance for the second phase of the tetrapod seawall. For many, simply paying rent is no longer feasible.”
Related Story: Chellanam’s Coastal Erosion Battle Continues Amid Seawall Delays
Across the shores of Puthenthode, Kannamaly, and Cheriyakkadavu, maintenance work is bustling. Homes left deserted for over a year are being revitalized; sand-filled bathrooms and septic tanks are being cleared, and essential power connections are being re-established.
Despite the renewed hope, the initiation of the seawall’s second phase remains stalled, over 100 days since its announcement on July 2nd. The first phase, a 7.30-km stretch from Chellanam to Puthenthode, was successfully completed in 2023 at a cost of ₹347 crore. However, a revised estimate prevented the project executor, Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society Ltd, from extending it to the originally planned 3.60 km stretch up to Cheriyakkadavu.
In response to these delays and the ongoing struggle, the Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi is preparing to commemorate its seventh year of protest with a full-day dharna in Thoppumpady on October 28th.