Karwar: Steps are being taken and work is set to be taken taken up in Murudeshwar and Pavinakurve after the current monsoon to arrest the soil erosion in the state under the project funded by Asian Development Bank.

According to the sources, crores of rupees are being spent every year by the government to prevent sea erosion at many coastal villages and cities.

ADB’s reports state that the Karnataka coastline is more than 300 km long and nearly 89 per cent of it is affected by erosion to some degree and cities like Murudeshwar, Pavinakurve, Honnavar and Kumta are severly affected areas.

The state government is planning to safeguard the coastline in a more systematic manner. A project was planned for this purpose and about a decade ago, ADB nodded to fund the project in the state.

Sources have stated that Murudeshwar is one of the prime tourists destinations in the state and to protect the shore, a 150-metre reef, sand nourishment and dune stabilisation for stretch of 1.5 km and other works will be taken up.

On the other hand, Pavinakurve is also another main attraction in the state. Under the project, mangroves and creepers have been planned to protect a length of 1.5 km stretch.

The work at Murdeshwar is said to begin in September.