Pawan’s Coastal Mission: What’s the Plan?

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Environment, and Forests, Pawan Kalyan, has called for finding a permanent solution to the problems faced by fishermen in coastal areas.

He emphasised that instead of relying on temporary measures whenever cyclones occur, steps must be taken to ensure long-term protection for the people living in coastal areas.

He directed officials to examine the feasibility of providing insurance coverage for fishing boats and to prepare appropriate proposals.

Pawan Kalyan asked officials in Kakinada district to formulate plans aimed at providing permanent solutions to the challenges faced by coastal fishing communities.

He stated that he would visit the fishing villages after Diwali to personally assess their concerns.

The Deputy CM held a virtual meeting with the Kakinada district administration and residents of the coastal villages to review the impact of Cyclone Arnab, the status of relief operations, and the assistance being provided to those affected.

On this occasion, the District Collector inquired with fishermen from the coastal villages about the damage caused by the cyclone and the details of the relief operations. After reviewing the relief efforts undertaken across the district, the Collector provided guidance on several key matters.

The Deputy CM specifically instructed the District Collector to expedite the design process and the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the protective sea wall in the Uppada coastal area, and to take steps to commence construction as soon as possible.

He also directed that efforts be made to secure swift approval for the proposal—previously submitted to the State Disaster Management Authority—to extend the protective sea wall up to Konapapapeta.

As the Uppada–Kakinada beach road has been severely damaged by the cyclone, officials were directed to initiate immediate restoration work. They were instructed to take necessary measures to ensure that the movement of the local coastal population is not hindered, and to prepare the relevant proposals for this purpose.

Pawan Kalyan commended the district administration for evacuating over 10,000 people from 92 coastal settlements across Kakinada district to safer locations and providing them with shelter in 102 rehabilitation centres.

He said that essential relief operations for the people in the cyclone-affected areas must be continued without interruption. It was reported that residents of Suradapeta, Mayapatnam, Kothapatnam, and Nayakar Colony faced severe hardships as seawater entered their localities. The district administration was commended for its prompt response, having completely cleared the water within 24 hours of being notified.

Officials were instructed to swiftly complete the enumeration process for damages caused by the cyclone—covering houses, crops, boats, fishing nets and looms. They were directed to prepare a comprehensive assessment of the losses and submit a report to the government.