The minister said so responding to a question raised by Puttalam District MP Niroshan Perera.

Minister Gunawardena pointed out that under the Coast Conservation and Coastal Resources Management Project initiatives had been taken to erect breakwaters, to build reef breakwater, to build artificial sand dunes thereby resulting in lower level of sea erosion as reported in 2013. If there was any emergency sea erosion taking place during the ‘vaarakan’ season in 2014, the Coastal Conservation Department would be ready to take necessary action, the minister said.

He said that initiatives would be taken to renovate the nearby roads hit by sea erosion. The owners of the houses destroyed by the sea erosion would be duly compensated and plots of lands had been distributed among 74 persons whose houses had been damaged. (Special Reporter/HC)