* Youth from fishermen community have been given preference
* CSG will be given fast interceptor boast, walkie-talkie sets and so on
* Construction of marine police stations under way in many places
The Coastal Security Group (CSG) of Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam zones will soon be provided with additional Home Guards strength to assist marine police personnel in patrolling on sea and land falling under its jurisdiction.
Sixty five more Home Guards have been sanctioned by the State police headquarters for both zones which has three marine police stations functioning in Vedaranyam, Nagapattinam, and Keezhaiyur at present.
The thrust would be given to youth from the fishermen community of Nagapattinam district into the Home Guards as they have a good understanding of the coastal topography and the requisite skill in handling boats to help the marine police personnel, CSG sources told The Hindu .
Serving along the vast coastline, the CSG personnel work in close coordination with other agencies, including Fisheries Department, Coast Guard, local police, and revenue authorities in gathering intelligence related to coastal security and prevent smuggling, infiltration, and human trafficking along the coastline.
Equipped with necessary paraphernalia, including fast interceptor boats, night vision binoculars, and walkie-talkie sets, the CSG of Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam zones were initially provided with 65 Home Guards personnel last year to assist the marine police personnel in patrolling duty — both on shore and off-shore.
With additional Home Guards having been sanctioned under phase – II their strength in assisting the marine police personnel would now increase to 130.
The sources said six more marine police stations were coming up in Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam zones to ramp up coastal surveillance and security. The new stations were sanctioned under the second phase at Tharangambadi, Velankanni, Poompuhar, Pazhaiyar, Thirumullaivasal, and Muthupettai.
Barring Muthupettai, the other new marine police stations would come under the Nagapattinam CSG zone. Construction of marine police station building at Tharangambadi was over. Civil works were under way at Velankanni, Pazhaiyar, Thirumullaivasal, and Muthupettai.
The site had been identified at Poompuhar for the construction of a new marine police station in that coastal town. Manpower strength of the CSG of Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam zones would increase with the new marine police stations coming up.