Joint patrolling by ICG, Police along Guj coast

Porbandar, Dec 8: To keep a check on the anti-national elements along the Gujarat coast, joint patrolling has been commenced as part of a three-tier surveillance mechanism for Gujarat and Maharashtra coast involving the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

As per the Central Government directives the Indian Coast Guard has taken over the responsibilites of OPS Swan in phased manner since December 1, 2005, ICG sources said on the sidelines of the Navy Week celebration ceremony here yesterday.

In order to ensure that arms and explosives are not landed on Gujarat coast, the Coast Guard resources have been deployed for setting up surface/air surveillance in addition to close joint coastal patrolling. The setting of coastal police stations as per the directives of Group of Ministers (GoM) is likely soon, the sources added.

A large number of fishing boats, motorised trawlers and Dhows are operating from Gujarat coast and chances of these boats being used by anti-national elements can not be ruled out. In order to have a check and create deterrence among the anti-national elements, the joint coastal patrolling by Indian Coast Guard was commenced.

Presently, the Coast Guard is undertaking close coast patrolling off Gujarat coast with Customs and police personnel embarked by utilising the existing resources. Air efforts are also augmented by tasking Coast Guard Dornier and Helo from Coast Guard air station Daman.

The first joint coastal patrolling was commenced from Indian Coast Guard station, Vadinar, effective from December 1, 2005.

The joint coastal patrolling is being carried out from Jakhau, Okha, Vadinar, Porbandar and veraval, which also covers area of Rozi, Mundra, Sikka, Salaya and Bedi.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of state for Defence M M Pallam Raju said a hi-tech naval surveillance centre would be set up in the old port building here to monitor possible terror threats to oil installastion along the coastline.

Speaking to the mediapersons on-board INS Trishul on Wednesday, he said the old port building will be handed over to the Navy for setting up the proposed centre which would be equipped with radars and other hi-tech instruments surveillance. State of the art centre to be set up in a year or two would be used for information gathering, he added.

UNI

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