Kochi: Deeply concerned about the escalating impact of sea erosion on Kerala’s vulnerable shoreline communities, the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) has called on the state government to act decisively to protect thousands of families whose lives and livelihoods are under threat.
The KCBC’s appeal came during its recently concluded Monsoon Conference held at the Pastoral Orientation Centre (POC) in Palarivattom. Addressing one of the most pressing environmental and humanitarian issues confronting Kerala’s coast, the bishops warned that unchecked coastal degradation was leaving fisherfolk with no safe shelter, eroding their ancestral lands, and pushing entire communities to the brink of destitution.
The bishops noted that recurring tidal surges and rising sea levels have become a yearly calamity in districts such as Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram. Entire stretches of once-inhabited seashore have now turned unlivable, forcing families to relocate without adequate compensation or resettlement options.
“These communities have lived by the sea for generations. The ocean that once sustained them is now swallowing their homes,” the KCBC stated in its resolution, describing the situation as both a humanitarian emergency and a crisis of environmental neglect.
The KCBC emphasized that the majority of affected families depend entirely on traditional fishing activities for their daily survival. Without immediate intervention, a looming livelihood crisis could push many into debt, poverty, and displacement. The bishops pointed out that while fishermen endure physical danger in their line of work, their socio-economic challenges are compounded by policy delays and bureaucratic hurdles.
“Beyond physical safety, what is at stake is their right to live with dignity,” said a senior bishop attending the conference. “As protectors of marginalized communities, the Church cannot remain silent in the face of this slow erosion of not just land, but of human life.”
The KCBC urged the Kerala government to fast-track coastal protection infrastructure such as seawalls, groynes, and climate-adaptive housing projects. They also demanded comprehensive rehabilitation packages, including permanent housing in safe zones, alternative employment training for younger generations, and mental health support for those coping with trauma.
The bishops specifically appealed for the revival and enhancement of stalled coastal regulation projects and requested that the government consult affected communities and Church-led social service arms while designing these plans.
Over the years, the Catholic Church in Kerala has been an active presence in the state’s coastal belt, not just in pastoral care but also in social action. Through diocesan-level coastal ministries and the Kerala Regional Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC), the Church has supported rehabilitation, vocational training, education, and legal aid for fisherfolk.
“While our missions continue to offer support, the scale of the crisis now calls for coordinated state-wide action,” the KCBC said, reaffirming its willingness to collaborate with government agencies and NGOs to provide practical assistance to affected populations.
In conclusion, the KCBC framed the crisis as both a moral obligation and an environmental reckoning, urging all stakeholders – policymakers, religious leaders, civil society, and citizens – to act with urgency and compassion. “If we fail to protect our coastal communities today, we fail in our duty to humanity, justice, and stewardship of creation,” the council warned.