A three level Coastal Security Scheme (CSS) is being implemented in full swing to safe guard the Indian coast.
The three levels of coastal security are:
- Marine Police to patrol up to 12 nautical miles from the coast.
- Indian Coast Guard to patrol from 12 to 200 nautical miles.
- Indian Navy to patrol beyond 200 nautical miles.
However, the overall responsibility for coastal defence is with the Indian Navy.
In Tamil Nadu, Coastal Security Group (CSG) was raised to prevent smuggling of essential items like fuel and medicine by sea route to Sri Lanka and to prevent infiltration of militants into the state by sea route.
Some interesting features of CSG are:
- CSG is headed by an officer of the rank of an Additional Director General of Police.
- Tamil Nadu coastline of 1076 kilometres is to be guarded by 12 Marine Police Stations, 10 Out Posts and 100 Check Posts.
- The CSG personnel will be coordinating with 441 Village Vigilance Committees formed in the coastal villages, Navy, Coast Guard, Local Police, Fisheries Department, Customs and Revenue Authorities to gather intelligence on coastal security.
- 12 Marine Police Stations are being commissioned in seven coastal districts of Tamil Nadu.
- Each Marine Police Station will have two patrol boats, built in shipyards of Goa/Kolkata.
- A total of around 200 specially trained police personnel will be manning these stations.
- In 2007, Police personnel in twenty batches have undergone preliminary sea training from Coast Guard in boat handling and basic navigation skills.
The Marine Police Stations are being commissioned at the following locations:
- Nagapattinam district
- Vedaranyam
- Keezhaiyur
- Nagapattinam
- Thanjavur district
- Sethubhavachatram
- Adirampattinam
- Pudukottai district
- Manamelkudi
- Thirupunnavasal
- Ramanathapuram district
- Mandapam
- Devipattinam
- Tuticorin district
- Tharuvaikulam
- Tirunelveli district
- Koodangulam
- Kanyakumari district
- Colachel
Read more about Coastal Security Group from Tamil Nadu Police, The Hindu, The Times of India (Chennai Edition: September 20,2008)
Update: May 31
A 12-tonne boat, imported from Greece at a cost of Rs.2.15 crore with jet propelled twin engines each with a capacity of 575 hp that can attain a top speed of 70 km (40 + knots) per hour has joined Coastal Security Group. 11 more boats are expected to join this year. Also twelve, 5-tonne boats are expected to join. Read more from The Hindu.
It seems the vessel is similar to the state-of-the-art, bulletproof interceptor security vessel received by the Marine Police of Gujarat. The 12 tonnes vessel is equipped with ultra modern navigation and Global Positioning System and can carry a crew of 14 members at a time. The vessel can travel at the maximum speed of 39 nautical miles per hour. View an interesting video clip: Gujarat gets ultra modern vessel for patrolling
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Is this designed to improve safety? How many levels of coastal security were there before? The CSG sounds like it should be effective, it certainly seems as though a lot of thought has been put into it.
The envisaged structure is good. However, it will not work. The Police which is essentially a subordinate service (and role) has an officer of the rank of IG/ADGP heading the group. One cannot blame them as everyone gets promoted that there must be atleast 100-150 officers of the IG and above in a state. Hence he is unlikely to take instructions from the coast guard(even in an emergency) without pretenting that he knows more. The coast guard a paramilitary force has a greater responsibility in this matter.
The navy which is in overall command of the coastal security will in all likely hood will have (and should have) at the maximum an officer of the rank Commodore dealing with Coastal security within a Naval Command.
Unless the DGP is equated with a Commodore (or at max with an acting rear admiral) in the overal chain of command eg the US home land command.
this seems unlikely in foreseeable future. we will have to wait for 26/11 part II wherein the catastrope is likely to be far severe and challenge the status quo.
The dramatic expansion in maritime transportation traffic particulary in the container segment particualry poses extreme risks. There is likely hood of a hierarchy of ports with a spurt in coastal traffic due to transhipment.
It is imperative that the Indian Navy have clear superiority along with responsibility of coastal defence. putting an IAS officer as head will only be hogwash. The RAW is a joke due to the systems of IPS officer transiting the agency(overnight you have officer in charge of law an order in a state posted as head of RAW). Most of the time will be spent in understanding the systems and managing politics then taking up any serious business.
However, a lot depends on the political leadership. the present Home minister can hold his position and talk with a degree of authority with a service chief/commander. Others most likely will require the IAS/IPS sidekicks who come with pompous status. I hope the country realizes the steady and rapid deterioration in state of law and order and understand the there has to be paradigm shift in the command structure like the pentagon in the US and not like the attached offices type in India
BUT WOW @ The people not knowing who he is…. really?