Chennai:
Tamil Nadu has the second longest coastline in India. But even after 26/11, state's Coastal Security Group has received just a quarter of the infrastructure sanctioned for better security.
After last year's deadly terror attack on Mumbai, the Centre had sanctioned 24 marine patrol boats for state's 1076 km coastline. But a year on, only six such boats have arrived.
"We have been pushing hard. We will be happy if things move faster. As of now, we are also hiring boats from fishermen," said Rajesh Das, IGP, Coastal Security, Tamil Nadu.
However, some other major steps have been taken by the government. A nationwide coastal security toll-free number 1093, to give the state's fishermen in 591 coastal villages a facility to pass on intelligence inputs, has finally been launched, first in Chennai, on the eve of 26/11.
The proposal was initially rejected by the telecom department and has been activated six months after repeated pleas by the Tamil Nadu Police.
The Coastal Security Group has just 400 men and 12 police stations. Officials say it badly requires at least twice that strength and 30 more police stations.
The department's request for eight Sea Legs to patrol islands along Dhanushkodi and Tuticorin and 100 All Terrain Vehicles is still pending. Clearly, a lot more needs to be done to strengthen the hands of our security agencies.
After last year's deadly terror attack on Mumbai, the Centre had sanctioned 24 marine patrol boats for state's 1076 km coastline. But a year on, only six such boats have arrived.
"We have been pushing hard. We will be happy if things move faster. As of now, we are also hiring boats from fishermen," said Rajesh Das, IGP, Coastal Security, Tamil Nadu.
However, some other major steps have been taken by the government. A nationwide coastal security toll-free number 1093, to give the state's fishermen in 591 coastal villages a facility to pass on intelligence inputs, has finally been launched, first in Chennai, on the eve of 26/11.
The proposal was initially rejected by the telecom department and has been activated six months after repeated pleas by the Tamil Nadu Police.
The Coastal Security Group has just 400 men and 12 police stations. Officials say it badly requires at least twice that strength and 30 more police stations.
The department's request for eight Sea Legs to patrol islands along Dhanushkodi and Tuticorin and 100 All Terrain Vehicles is still pending. Clearly, a lot more needs to be done to strengthen the hands of our security agencies.
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