Steps for better coastline security post attacks

With 12 major and 180 minor ports, the security establishment is toying with the idea of having all fishing boats registered with the police.

The use of coastal route by terrorists to sneak into Mumbai has exposed the vulnerability of the country8217;s 7,516-km coastline and the Home Ministry is devising ways to thoroughly overhaul policing along the shores.

With 12 major and 180 minor ports, the security establishment is toying with the idea of having all fishing boats registered with the police department to maintain a list of their owners.

As the Sir Creek area in the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat is highly vulnerable to terrorist activities, Indian security forces have warned their Pakistani counterparts that they would not allow movement of boats in the area.

8220;We will not allow any intrusion into our territory. This has been conveyed to them Pakistan,8221; a senior Home Ministry official said.

Joint coastal patrolling in Gujarat has already been taken over by the Coast Guard.

Realising that mere sending of advisories to nine states and four UTs from time to time was not enough, proper coordination among the Navy, Coast Guard and police for better coastal security was suggested at a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

On the basis of intelligence inputs, the Union Home Ministry recently obtained approval for the creation of 400 posts for coastal security.

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Keeping in view the vulnerability of the coastline in Maharashtra and Gujarat, a Joint Coastal Patrolling was introduced to check illegal cross border activities.

Under this arrangement, patrolling of the coastal areas is undertaken by the Navy, the state police and Customs, sources in the Ministry said.

The Home Ministry launched a coastal security scheme over two years ago to strengthen infrastructure for patrolling and surveillance of coastal areas on the basis of threat perception from sea routes.

The susceptibility of the coastal belt has been hotly debated at almost all meetings of country8217;s top police brass from time to time but the Mumbai incident has jolted the security establishment.

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The Home Ministry has sanctioned 73 police stations of which 55 have been made operational.

Sanction has also been given for 97 check posts, 58 outposts and 30 barracks.

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 envisages setting up of 10 police stations in Gujarat, six in Andhra Pradesh, four in West Bengal, three in Goa, one each in Kerala, Puducherry and Daman and Diu, 12 in Maharashtra and five in Karnataka.

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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.

Under the scheme, assistance is given to Coast Guard to procure 15 interceptor boats suitable for patrolling the coastal waters and for setting up three Coast Guard Stations 8212; two in Maharashtra and one in Gujarat.

The Coast Guard is imparting training to different State police personnel in mounting maritime vigil.

Sources said it has been decided to create additional infrastructure for Coast Guard to enable it undertake joint coastal patrolling.

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Of the 400 new posts for four Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Puducherry, the highest number of 186 posts will be in Andaman and Nicobar Islands aimed at preventing infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of arms from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Lakshadweep will have 140 such posts followed by 60 in Daman and Diu. For Puducherry 20 posts have been sanctioned, sources said, adding the UT will also have a coastal police station to check any illegal activity.

While Daman and Diu will have two police stations, for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, three operational buildings have been sanctioned. Besides, four police stations will come up in Lakshadweep.