The Hindu : Centre helping States beef up security along coastline

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Centre helping States beef up security along coastline

By B.S. Ramesh

BANGALORE June 14. Coastal security is as, if not more, important than providing security on land, and India learnt this the hard way when RDX explosives used to trigger the Mumbai blasts were shipped into the country through the porous coastline.

Since then, the States and the Centre have been devising ways and means to strengthen coastal security. While the Navy and the Coast Guard have intensified their vigil along the coast, the police too have stepped up security along the coastline.

Some states, including Karnataka, have set up a separate coastal force to man the coastline.

Thus, while the Navy takes care of security on the high seas and the Coast Guard polices the economic zones, the coastal security forces are a part of the Police Department and guard the inner stretches of the coast.

In Karnataka, the coastal force is headed by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG). Though the Coastal Security Force is under the supervision of the police, the latter has little or no knowledge of maritime affairs and equipment. Besides, the force lacks the professional touch as it lacks adequate men and material.

Moreover, there is no coordination among the coastal forces of different States.

Realising the need to strengthen these coastal forces and make it the third line of defence after the Navy and the Coast Guard, the Government of India decided to step in and help the States modernise their coastal forces and make them fighting fit.

It was with this in mind that the Government of India had convened a high-level meeting of senior police officers and home secretaries of all the States in Mumbai where Mazagaon Docks, a Defence undertaking, gave a presentation about coastal vessels and other maritime equipment.

Senior police officials from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep attended the meeting along with officials from the Union Home Ministry.

The meeting, the first of its kind, was aimed at stepping up the cooperation among the forces involved in coastal security, apart from embarking upon a common modernisation programme.

Highly placed sources in the Police Department told The Hindu on Saturday that the Government of India was likely to provide financial assistance to the coastal States to modernise their forces.

However, this proposal was still in the preliminary stage and the modalities were being worked out.

As far as Karnataka is concerned, the Coastal Security Force has already sent a proposal regarding modernisation and it is being examined. Once the proposal is cleared by the Police Department, it is likely to be forwarded by the Centre for financial assistance.

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