Sea etches away at life in Pavinkurve

KARWAR: Sea erosion has been posing a constant threat to Pavinkurve village coming under Karki gram panchayat limits in Honnavar taluk.Large scale erosion has been noticed this year too with 13 families facing displacement.A house is on the verge of collapse and many coconut trees have been uprooted.Sources in Honnavar tahsildar office told Express that arrangements have been made for these families to shift temporarily to vacant quarters of agriculture department; however, they preferred to stay with relatives instead of the accommodation provided by the officials. The villagers complain that they have been facing the same problem for about a decade. The ministers visiting the village promise solutions like building a permanent sea wall.These promises have remained on paper, they contend.The irked villagers have been demanding a permanent relocation.According to Honnavar tahsildar Gayatri Nayak, a proposal had been sent to the government for resettlement of the villagers under Navagrama project last year, which is awaiting approval.Mallukurve, a neighbouring village, had been engulfed by water a few years ago and the villagers were relocated to nearby Karki.Villagers fear that a repeat may occur at Pavinkurve too, unless the government gets its act right.Officials, however, still claim that there is no immediate danger of the village being washed away.