Centre-State cooperation must to tackle terrorism: Antony

Kochi, Mar 18 (UNI) Maritime terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy are the three major threats emanating from the sea and there is a need for stepped-up Centre-State cooperation to meet these challenges, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

Delivering the keynote address at a one-day seminar on 'Kerala-Emerging Maritime Issues and Challenges', organised by the Southern Naval Command here, Mr Antony said with the sealing of the land borders, terrorists were now more likely than ever to use the sea route to infiltrate.

Stressing the need for eternal vigilance, he said the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard must work in close coordination to meet the threats arising from the sea.

While state governments had a special duty to prevent illegal activities in the coastal areas, the Centre was helping the states to establish coastal police stations and strengthening the physical and human infrastructure including underwater cables, communication network and increased patrolling.

The Minister also stressed the need for the Centre and states to ensure that development activities such as port-based special economic zones (SEZs) did not result in land speculation.

''More importantly, it should not lead to the exclusion of those segments of industry and peasantry that lie outside such SEZs and from the economic dividend that might accrue from the creation of such clusters,'' he added.

India, being an agriculture-dominated economy, there was a need to forge a 'public peasant partnership'. The solution to Kerala's maritime challenges must have a positive impact on employment generation and the interests of the fishing community must be protected.

Talking particularly about the ''pitiable'' condition of the legendary ship builders of Beypore in north Kerala, Mr Antony said they had been reduced to making toys of the famous Beypore 'uru' (ship).

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