Federation of Indian Fishery Industries (FIFI) has described as a big victory for the trawler owners in convincing the Centre to open Indian Coast Guard (ICG) station at Frazerganj in South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal for better coastal security.
ICG agreed to operate two hovercrafts from the operating base in South 24 Parganas and ensure regular surveillance off the international maritime boundary and the territorial waters of Sundarbans area. Sundarbans is an UNESCO heritage site with abundant mangrove forests and prestigious Royal Bengal Tiger Project, AIFI president Y.G.K. Murti said on Sunday.
The Coast Guard, he said, had also promised to coordinate with the West Bengal Administration, Marine Police, Fisheries, Customs and Forest Departments and local fishermen to ensure effective surveillance and coastal security in Sundarbans area.
