Centre takes steps to secure coastline

AGENCIES
Posted on 2008-12-30
NEW DELHI- The Union home ministry on Monday assured the coastal states to provide all assistance to secure the seafront and asked the shipping ministry to come up with a proposal within ten days on registration of fishing boats and issuing identity cards to fishermen.
At a high-level meeting, chaired by secretary (border management), Mr Jarnail Singh and attended by representatives of nine coastal states and four Union territories, the Union home ministry assured that adequate funds would be provided to the states to procure high-speed vessels, high-tech naval equipment and all other security requirements.
“We have asked the shipping ministry to submit a proposal within seven to ten days on how to have all fishing boats registered with the police department, to maintain a list of their owners and issuing identity cards to fishermen operating in high sea,” a home ministry official said.
The moves comes considering the fact that the coastal states Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal and four UTs follow different policy for registration of boats and it was felt that there was an urgent need to have uniformity on the issue.
The meeting considered a performa developed by the Register General of India and whether that could be emulated for issuance of identity cards to the fishermen.
Several states, including West Bengal, sought the Centre’s help in setting up of new coastal police stations and strengthening of marine wing of state police, sources said.
The coastal states briefed security measures being taken in 12 major and 180 minor ports along the 7,516 km coastline.
The 10 terrorists who stormed Mumbai on November 26 had come from Karachi via the sea route.
The government has been giving top priority to coastal security considering the vulnerability of entire Indian coastline and is trying to plug all loopholes in this front.
The Union home ministry is working on a proposal for having close coordination among the Coast Guard, the Navy and the police for toning up of coastal security.
The Centre is also emphasising on speedy implementation of the coastal security scheme being implemented since 2005-06.
The Union home ministry had launched the scheme over two years ago and sanctioned 73 police stations in nine coastal states and four UTs.
Sanction has also been given for 97 check posts, 58 outposts and 30 barracks.
The sources said coastal police stations are being equipped with 204 boats, 153 jeeps and 312 motorcycles and boats were being procured for carrying out patrolling and operations.
The scheme is being implemented jointly by the Union home ministry, which will meet the non-recurring expenditure of Rs 400 crore, and the defence ministry, which will meet the recurring expenditure of Rs 151 crore.