For many, Shanghumukham beach in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram is all about idyllic moments made memorable. But for Joy Freddy and his wife, Joyce, it is more than that. For the past 10 years, the couple has been making a living by selling roasted peanuts in one corner of the beach. Every evening, they would push the cart to their favourite spot and sell the nuts to a host of people, from children and young couples to the elderly. But all that stopped with the COVID-19 lockdown.
But Joy recalls that the downslide had begun much before.
“The sea is coming forward every year. Half of the beach is gone. The regular visitors have almost stopped. I don’t know how long it would take the sea to swallow the entire coast,” he says.
Shanghumukham beach used to be one of the favourite evening destinations of Thiruvananthapuram residents. Even on weekdays, hundreds of people frequented the beach to enjoy the serene beauty of the sunset.
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