10 new stations for Coast Guard, three on priority

Union Defence Minister George Fernandes today accepted the Coast Guard’s (CG) proposal to set up 10 new Coast Guard stations along the coast to check the rise of smuggling and facilitate greater low intensity maritime operations. Fernandes promised the senior CG officers that he would take up the issue of setting up the stations with the Finance Ministry.

Army pullout to take 2 months: George

NEW DELHI: Troops deployed on the international border should be back home by Diwali but could take nearly two months for a complete ‘‘re-deployment,’’ said Defence Minister George Fernandes after addressing the Coast Guard Commanders Conference. (ENS)

Though 10 such stations have been planned, three will be built on a priority basis with one each at Bhatkal on the Karnataka coast, Jakhau in Gujarat and Vizhingam in Kerala. Senior officers said that these three are on a priority ‘‘keeping in mind their sensitive nature and the rise in illegal activities on the coast’’.

With insurgency taking on a maritime role, the CG has seen a greater role in low intensity operations — the maritime equivalent of counter insurgency operations in J-K. Several cases of RDX being smuggled along the coast and with the deteriorating security environment, the CG has seen a proportionate rise in responsibilities, said senior officers.

Faced with a 30 per cent shortage of manpower, the CG — under stress in fulfiling its commitments — has also put in a proposal to increase the manpower. While Fernandes has assured help, the decision is likely to take some time.