CM for more coordination between State and Centre

Mumbai, Aug 1 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has directed the State and the Central machineries to coordinate among themselves to fight terror attacks.

While speaking in a review meeting on the law and order situation in the State held at Mantralaya here yesterday, Mr Deshmukh said the State and Central machineries, instead of blaming each other, should work in coordination. Due to their lack of coordination, the commonman would suffer.

Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil and other officials were also present in the meeting, an official release said here today.

In the meeting, security at railway stations, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport bus depots, State Transport depots, power suppliers, hospitals, dams, water supply, marine coastal was reviewed.

The Chief Minister said there should be no lack of coordination between Railway Police and State Police and directed that higher officials of both the machineries should prepare an action plan.

He said despite lots of measures, even a small mistake may cost dear.

''Keeping this point in mind, we should always be prepared,'' he said.

Mr Deshmukh said the Brinhamumbai Municipal Corporation should appoint security for the protection of water storage and tanks of drinking water and Municipal Commissioner himself should inspect it, so that the machinery remains alert.

The Chief Minister said earlier, hospitals were not targeted but now even hospitals were not spared. So extra care should be taken.

Vehicles should not be parked for long time in hospitals and number of entrances should be reduced.

Principal Secretary Bhushan Gagrani said considering that the J J Hospital has 22 entrances, an integrated security plan had to be prepared for the same.

Private institutions providing ambulance services also should be informed and they should implement security measures, said the Chief Minister.

The State Electricity Board should create its security machinery for the protection of electricity supplying places, as it needs to be tightened. Police will cooperate in doing so, said Mr Deshmukh.

The Irrigation Secretary should himself inspect how far the security appointed for the protection of dams is attentive, he said.

Fishermen should be given identity cards, which will be useful for their identification. The process of disbursing them should be completed in a time-bound period, he said.

Security had been deployed at 23 pilgrim places and other important places. 40 to 50 CCTVs were needed to be installed in three Municipal Medical hospitals.

Greater Mumbai Railway Police had been provided 20 doorframe metal detectors, 424 hand metal detectors and four machines for checking explosives. Training was being given to four sniffer dog squads.

Seventy-two door frame metal detectors, 150 hand-held metal detectors and 42 sniffer dog squads have been provided at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Dadar, Kurla, Thane, Kalyan, Mumbai Central stations. Round the clock security force was deployed from Churchgate to Virar stations, and Parel depot.

Three hundred twenty-three officers/employees and three sniffer dogs were deployed to find out explosives at Churchgate, Mumbai Central and Borivli stations. High alert had been declared. Strict security arrangements had been made at all important places.

Patrolling had been beefed up. Hotels and lodges were being checked.

ST and BEST buses were being checked at the time of nakabandi.

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