What is the status of the 23-year-old church in Tharuvaikulam?

The 23-year-old church in Tharuvaikulam is facing imminent destruction as the rapidly advancing sea threatens to wash it away.

How have the Tharuvaikulam fishermen responded to the threat to the church?

The Tharuvaikulam fishermen have collected over ₹15 lakh to temporarily protect the church by heaping concrete boulders near it, but they urgently need the government to construct a groyne to save the church and their 300 mechanized boats and 200 fibreglass country boats.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / Tharuvaikulam Fishermen Plead for Groyne to Save 23-Year-Old Seaside Church

Tharuvaikulam Fishermen Plead for Groyne to Save 23-Year-Old Seaside Church

Q: What is the Tharuvaikulam fishermen's view on the Fisheries Department's approach to sanctioning groynes?

The Tharuvaikulam fishermen cite the Fisheries Department's "biased approach" in sanctioning groynes to other coastal hamlets, while Tharuvaikulam has been waiting indefinitely despite generating ₹100 crore in annual revenue from fishing.

8 Nov

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Summary

23-year-old church on Tharuvaikulam beach faces destruction by advancing sea
Fishermen have collected ₹15 lakh to temporarily protect the church
Groyne construction delayed despite repeated appeals from villagers

Tharuvaikulam Fishermen Plead for Groyne to Save 23-Year-Old Seaside Church

As of November 8th, 2025, a 23-year-old church on Tharuvaikulam beach in Tamil Nadu is facing imminent destruction due to the rapidly advancing sea. The church, dedicated to St. Santhiyagappar (St. James), was built about 750 meters away from the shoreline in 2002, but the sea has since engulfed around 740 meters of land, including fully-grown palmyra trees.

The Tharuvaikulam fishermen have been pleading with the Department of Fisheries to construct a groyne to save the church and their 300 mechanized boats and 200 fibreglass country boats. They cite the department's "biased approach" in sanctioning groynes to other coastal hamlets, while Tharuvaikulam has been waiting indefinitely despite generating ₹100 crore in annual revenue from fishing.

In a desperate attempt to temporarily protect the church, the fishermen have collected over ₹15 lakh to heap concrete boulders near the church. However, the sea is now lashing just 8 meters away from the place of worship. The local MLA has assured that the required funds for groyne construction, estimated between ₹90 crore and ₹120 crore, will be released by the government before January 2026 with the help of Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi.

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