To strengthen coastal security, Chief Secretary AP Padhi has urged the Indian Navy authorities to provide boats for deployment along the Odisha Coast.
Chairing a State-level apex committee meeting on coastal security at the State Secretariat here on Wednesday, Padhi said the State’s 18 Marine police stations need boats for movements of police officers and staff in the sea for conducting investigations on marine crimes and providing training required as for Coast Guard and Indian Navy norms.
Marine police officers and other staff would be provided regular training at Paradip. The fishermen will be asked to carry their biometric identity documents while moving into the sea, he said, adding that information about coastal security would be disseminated through broadcasting system managed by the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department.
At present, around 5 lakh fishermen are being provided information five times a day about possible places of availability of fish, cyclone and weather in Odia, Bengali and Telugu, said FARD Secretary Bishnupada Sethi.
The meeting also discussed about providing berths for parking of the coast guard vessels in Paradip, Dhamara and Gopalpur ports.
Padhi told reporters that usually there is a three tier-security system followed on the Odisha Coast. While the marine police keeps watch on the criminal activities upto 12 nautical mile in the sea, the coastal security forces keep watch upto another 12 nautical mile and the Indian Navy maintains vigil in the deep sea.
The coastal security can be strengthened by regular exchange of information among the agencies and awareness among the residents of coastal areas and the fishermen.
Among others, DGP KB Singh, Indian Navy Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, Coast Guard Inspector General KR Nautial, Commerce and Transport Special Secretary Manoj Kumar Mishra and Home Special Secretary lalit Kumar Das and senior officials of INS Chilika and Indian Navy were present.