Home Ministry reviews coastal security

New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) With the country's 7,500 km
coastline vulnerable to terrorist attacks, the Home Ministry
has decided to set up a committee to go into the difficulties
on account of fishing harbours within the port limits.

The committee will examine what could be done in this
regard, taking into account the livelihood issues of
fishermen, a Home Ministry official said Saturday.

A high-level meeting chaired by Home Secretary Madhukar
Gupta also discussed the issue of some minor ports which
handle bulk transport.

Since ports came under the purview of state governments,
the Home Ministry has sought detailed reports about these
ports. There are 12 major and 180 minor ports in the country.

The meeting was informed that a decision has been taken
to provide two interceptor boats to every port in the
country.

The decision to have better coordination among various
agencies was taken in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror
attacks in which the terrorists took the sea route to strike
at the country's commercial hub.

In order to have smooth coordination among various
security agencies, the meeting decided to prepare detailed
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for them.

Agencies like State Police, Coast Guard and customs
currently do the patrolling in the water area relating to
ports.

The meeting also decided to get detailed examination done
of the irregular and unregulated movement of boats including
fishing boats.

The meeting felt there was a need for Central Industrial
Security Force (CISF) to have commandos inside the ports.

The official said that SOPs for the working of the
commandos will have to be prepared and their interaction with
other security agencies will have to be looked into.

It was felt that a detailed security audit of one or two
ports should be carried out by various agencies in which
issues like access control, surveillance systems and I-cards
for employees will be given focus.

The meeting, held on Thursday, was attended among others
by the Secretary, Border Management, Jarnail Singh, Secretary,
Shipping, APVN Sarma, DG, CISF, N R Das and senior officers
from the Ministries of Defence, Home, Shipping, Civil
Aviation and Coast Guard.