Following the 26/11 attacks, Indian Coast Guard (IGC), apart from upgrading itself to combat such attacks in future, is working in close collaboration with the fishermen community to keep strong vigilance over the coastal areas which are vulnerable to infiltration. The coastal guards, through various measures, are sensitising the fishing community to integrate them into the coastal security mechanism and leave no loophole in surveillance of the coastal areas.
"Our sole motive is to make these people the eyes and ears of the coastal guard sleuths. Post 26/11, we realised that the fishermen community can prove to be a valuable asset when it comes to coastal security. They can keep a vigil of not just Mumbai but the entire country. For the same, we have organised several community interaction programmes with the families of the fishermen over the years. Free medical camps, search and rescue during bad weather, training sessions on how to alert coastal guards etc have now become an integral part of the relationships we share with these people," said inspector general of the Indian Coast Guard, VD Chaphekar.
In terms of the security perspective, the coastal guards in close coordination with the fisheries department are trying to come up with biometric identification cards for all local fishermen for security purposes. Boats are randomly being checked to ascertain that nothing goes for a toss. While the ICG has proposed to paint all fishing boats in orange and blue colours for better visibility, the officers are ensuring that all fishing vessels are equipped with Distress Alert Transmitters (DAT) to identify and rescue them during an emergency at sea.
"The sea is becoming vulnerable to not just terrorism activities, but pirates, smugglers, infiltrators too. In such circumstances, the fishermen who are well-acquainted with the sea can help us in keeping strict vigil and help us avoid attacks of any sort in future," said spokesperson of the coastal guards.
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 "Coastal Security")
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