report on securing Gujarat coastline gathers dust

In the face of widespread criticism over security measures in coastal areas, a report on protection of coastline of Gujarat submitted by Justice SD Dave Commission in 2002, is gathering dust in the state home department, sources in the state secretariat said.

No recommendation of the commission has been acted upon so far, they told PTI.

The Dave Commission was appointed by the Gujarat Government in 2001 at the instance of Supreme Court to inquire the landing of RDX at Gosabara near Porbandar in Saurashtra coast before serial blasts in Mumbai in March 1993.

The explosive material was then transported to Mumbai where it was used for executing serial blasts which claimed hundreds of lives.

One of the major terms of reference of the commission was to suggest measures pertaining to protection of coastline from the illegal activities being carried out by the anti-national elements.

In the report, Justice Dave had suggested a slew of measures on how to protect the porous coastline as it was being increasingly used to carry out anti national activities.

The inquiry commission had established the route which was taken to transport the explosive material and suggested steps to be taken to ensure that such incident does not take place in future.

Justice Dave had noted in the report that Gosabara, Jodia and Jhakhau are the three main points where high level of continuous patrolling is required. A boat Al-sad-Bahar, operated by Pakistan's ISI loaded with RDX and precious gold and silver had come to Gosabara, from where explosive materials were transported to Mumbai.

"A Navy sub-station at each place is required to be set up and constant patrolling along the coast is required to check the nefarious activities taking place there," Justice Dave had recommended in the report.

Noting lack of coordination between different government agencies, Jusitce Dave had recommended better coordination and sharing of intelligence inputs among the agencies like police, state and central IB, Navy and coast guard.

Jusitce Dave, during the course of inquiry, had examined a number of senior officials from police, IB and other agencies who had pointed out vulnerability of Saurashtra-Kutch coastline.

However, the state home department has done precious little on the measures recommended by the commission."The issue has been forgotten," a senior official in the home department told PTI.