Paradip, May 5: The state government is all set to implement a World Bank-funded project to protect the vulnerable human settlements from sea erosion in Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts.

The Rs 45-crore project under National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Programme is getting under way in Kendrapara district, while the Rs 19-crore project is ready for implementation at the Erasama block of Jagatsinghpur district.

“The 16-km stretch coastal embankment is being refurbished to stop the tidal waves in Kendrapara district’s Rajnagar tehsil. In neighbouring Jagstsinghpur, 9.6-km long seawall is being put in place to stop the advancing sea,” said Jugal Kishore Tripathy executive engineer of Saline Irrigation Division.

A team of World Bank experts on Friday inspected the sea-erosion-hit spots in Rajnagar and assessed the gravity of the situation.

As a result as many as 46 villages under Rajnagar tehsil are thoroughly exposed to advancing of the sea. The team would shortly pay visit to Erasama area to assess the situation from ground zero, the official said.

For the past few years, sea erosion has threatened several human settlements in both the districts. As a result of the steady march of the sea, things have assumed alarming proportions of late with nearly a 10-km stretch shoreline categorised as critically vulnerable patches.

“The blueprint to protect the erosion-prone pockets is ready. The existing surge protection embankments will be refurbished in Rajnagar. The department will also put in place breakwater system of sea wall to plug the marauding sea,” said executive engineer Tripathy.