How India plans to secure its coasts

Amidst mounting threat of infiltration from the coastal belts, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 500 crore to set up over 70 marine police stations equipped with speed boats and modern equipment.

Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra will have the maximum number of 12 coastal police stations each, followed by Gujarat - 10, Kerala - eight, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal - six each, Karnataka and Orissa - five each, Lakshadweep - four, Goa - three and Puducherry and Daman and Diu one each, sources in the Home Ministry said on Wednesday.

A special Coastal Security Plan has also been proposed for Goa, which faces heightened threat from terrorist groups.      

The Indian Coast Guard, central intelligence agencies, Navy and the Ministry of Shipping have been asked to coordinate with the Goa police to fine tune security measures and foil any attempt by terrorist outfits to carry out their activities in the tourist destination.

According to intelligence reports, the coastal areas are coming under increased threat from terrorist groups as the Lashker-e-Taiba operatives are being trained specifically to use the sea-route to infiltrate into India and sabotage oil installations.

The LeT is understood to have been collecting information regarding the location of various refineries on or near the Indian coastline, the reports said, adding that the terrorists planned to occupy some uninhabited islands and use them as bases for launching

operations on the Indian coast.

Serious concern was expressed over the emerging situation along the country's long coastline at a conference of state DGPs in New Delhi and the matter was top on the agenda at the recent meeting of the Southern Zonal Council in Hyderabad, chaired by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

Sources said there was a shift in the aim of the militants who now wanted to cause more damage with low casualty.

Since some multi-purpose projects and shipyards could be on the terrorist hit list, the southern states have been asked to procure speed boats and other paraphernalia needed to boost security.

The chief ministers of these states have been specifically asked to strengthen security measures along the coastline and the Centre has promised all necessary assistance to them to modernise the security set up.

Andhra Pradesh has already started setting up marine police stations and the first one has been set up at Vizag, where the government has one of its key ports. The security establishment is also worried over reports of infiltration through the coastal belt of Kerala.

MHA officials said that since vigilance had been stepped up along the Line of Control and the international border, militants were attempting to sneak into the country through the coastal belts. Some militant organisations were also said to be trying to create 'sleeper cells' in southern and central parts of the country as well.