The State Government has once again moved the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to enhance funds required for establishing marine police stations (MPSs) in the State.
The State Government has been insisting on escalating the cost of each MPS to Rs 70 lakh, but the MHA has sanctioned Rs 33.35 lakh. The State has set up five MPSs in the Phase I and 13 in the Phase II.
The actual cost to construct an MPS has been estimated at Rs 70 lakh, according to the State-run Odisha Police Housing and Welfare Corporation (OPH&WC), which is tasked to build the MPSs. In view of the escalated cost, the State finds it tough to build the MPSs with the sanctioned amount.
A senior officer of the State Home Department said the MHA had raised the amount to Rs 48 lakh in the Phase II, but it is still Rs 22 lakh short of the actual requirement.
Notably, while four of the five MPSs set up in the Phase I are running in their own buildings, the Paradip Marine Police Station is functioning in a rented accommodation. Though the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) had proposed to the State Government to provide one acre of land in the PPT zone, the Union Ministry of Shipping (MoS) is yet to clear it and the MPS is operating in the rented house provided by the PPT.
Similarly, the amount required for construction of a jetty stands at Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore whereas only Rs 50 lakh has been sanctioned by the MHA for the purpose. Berthing marine police boats and vessels in private jetties poses security problems. With such paltry funds, jetties cannot be set up, pointed out a senior police officer.
While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written a letter to the Centre in this connection, senior officials of the Home Department are now in touch with the MHA officials in this regard.
The State Government has also sought a change in the design of the boats allocated to the MPSs for patrolling since the vessels are finding movement in the creeks difficult in the dark. The State has also sought adequate funds for fuel expenses for the boats as they are fuel guzzlers.
The MHA had provided Rs 83 lakh under the fuel expense head in the Phase I and there were instructions from the MHA to meet the fuel expenses from the Security-Related Expenditure (SRE) beyond March 2010. In the meantime, the State Government has already spent Rs 44.85 lakh in the last two years whereas the MHA is yet to sanction the amount. A senior official said it would not be possible to operate the boats in future.