Centre to set up coastal command: Union Home Minister

Kollam (Kerala), Feb 9 (PTI) The Centre has decided to
set up a Coastal Command by integrating the functions of the
Navy and Coast Guard, to combat possible terrorist attacks
from the sea, in light of the recent Mumbai terror attacks,
India's Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said here Monday.

The Navy would look after the security of blue waters,
the Coast Guard would take the territorial waters and the
coastal police would keep vigil at the grassroot level, he
said, while inaugurating Kerala's first Coastal Police Station
at Neendakara near here.

The decision on setting up the Coastal Command would be
taken in a few days, he said.

The Mumbai terrorist attack had brought to light the fact
that India was vulnerable to dangers from the sea. For long,
the security agencies had been concentrating on land borders
against enemy attack. To counter the sea threat and ensure
integrated security, the Centre had ambitious plans and the
Coastal Command was part of it, he said.

The places identified to set up Coastal police stations
are Vizhinjam, Fort Kochi, Thottapally, Azheekkal, Beypore,
Kodungallur and Bakel, covering the long stretch of the
India's southern state of Keralal coastline.

Chidambaram said the country was facing various intense
security problems, including insurgency in the North East,
Naxalite and terrorism issues.

"Of late, terrorism has attained religious overtones. But
we will not discriminate between Islamic terrorism or Hindu
terrorism. Terrorism is terrorism. There is no religion for
terrorism," he said.

Chidambaram said the Centre would not tolerate any kind
of terrorism since there was "no place for it in a democracy".

Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that
apart from the eight coastal police stations announced across
the state, one more would be set up in Malappuram district
soon.

Later, Chidambaram had talks with Balakrishnan and senior
police officers on the security situation in the state. PTI
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