Land Reclamation VS Pollution

I felt that Noppol brought up a very intresting issue that is close to our hearts (however, is placed under comments on the "welcome my graduating babies" post, which is not very appropriate), so I decided to create this post.

Read the article http://www.wildsingapore.net/news/20060304/060306-1.htm to have a grip of the story.

Just to clarify, there are many areas in Singapore that are built on reclaimed land. ONLY the areas of East Coast and Pasir Ris are undergoing erosion.

AREAS NOT ERODED: Areas such as Marina South (you know the steamboat and kite flying area), are not eroded.
WHY? Because these areas of reclaimed land are protected by stone walls. If you observe the areas, the land touching the water are all stone surfaces. This way, the stone walls protect the land underneath from being eroded into the sea.

AREAS BEING ERODED:Areas such as East Coast (which I witnessed the devastation).
WHY? Because these areas of reclaimation had became recreational beaches. These beaches are not covered with concrete walls, they only have break waters to prevent erosion. These break waters apprently failed to perform their duties, hence the beaches are shrinking.
WHAT I WITNESSED: I remember that when I was young, the beaches were nearer to the break waters, but now, they have retreated inland and are so near to the jogging paths! Now, there is only a spit linking the break waters to the beach.

THE ISSUE OF POLLUTION:Very coincidentally, I did a research project on pollution related to land reclamation during my uni days.
MY RESEARCH: Water pollution is the greatest near the areas of the beaches (mac area), lower at places with concrete structures (bedok jetty) and lowest at Marina South (because of the stone walls). The pollution at the last area was almost none, but the Mac area was rather bad. BUT, what the research could not conclude is whether the pollution at the Mac area (though higher than the others) was great enough to be an issue.
MY THOUGHTS: Reclamation for Singapore is still inevitable and necessary, considering the scarcity of land. Pollution is inevitable with reclamation: pollution of water bound to happen during the process of reclamation and now as found at the beaches. Pollution at the beaches could be reduced by building stone walls, however, it compromises on the asthetic aspects and the reclaimed land would look very artificial from the natural suroundingsm and we would lose one recreational area. ANYWAY, beaches around the world are also facing problems of erosion (not only ours). SO, should we be looking at more engineering structures to save our beaches?

cheers,
ash=o)