Police must plan to tackle chemical, biological, radiation threats

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today asked the police to make futuristic plans for tackling manmade disasters like biological, chemical warfare and nuclear radiation emissions along with terrorism, Naxalism and cross-border infiltration.

Inaugurating the Director General of Police/Inspector General of Police Conference organised by Intelligence Bureau here, the Home Minister asserted the scourge of terrorism must be faced resolutely and police and security agencies cannot afford to lower their guard in countering this major threat to the national security.

Without naming Pakistan's ISI, the Home Minister said that some foreign organisations controlled terorrist groups are transporting terrorism to the hinterland and attemptin to use local miscreants and organisations to perpetuate violent activities.

He called for gearing up the intelligence machinery down to the police station level to mount a close watch on the subversive organsiation to discern their efforts to target prominent individuals, organisations, institutions, economic centres, heritage monuments and maritime interests.

Mr Patil said the intelligence gathering system should be made sound by qualitative restructuring of the existing set up and professional upgradation of staff. Moreover, the information sent by the Intelligence Bureau should reach to the lowest level in the police hierarchy and there should be a two-way flow of information so that a complete picture could be obtained on developing situations.

Admitting that atomic power plants and oil and natural gas installations, defence, communications, IT sector, multi-purpose projects and shipyards were vulnerable, the home minister stressed the need for taking a holistic view in countering these terrorist threats.

However, Mr Patil also advised the police that along with tackling the present problems and issues like terrorism, Naxalism, cross border infiltration and natural disasters, it should also plan for the future as any delay would prove costly.

Pointing out that manmade disasters like biological, chemical and radiation emission could prove very difficult to manage as compared to natural disasters, he said long term planning should now be made to tackle them effectively.

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