Post 26/11, high-tech coastal security system on cards

A month after terrorists sneaked into Mumbai in a hijacked Indian fishing boat and killed nearly 200 people, the much-neglected coastal security system of India is being revamped.

Following are the steps the government plans to take in an attempt to revamp coastal security:

Multi Purpose National Identity Cards are to be issued for all fishermen and coastal villages.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing special transponders for boats and trawlers.

Those transponders will make identification and tracking of boats easier.

There will also be a new uniform licensing system for boats across coastal states, instead of the present system of diverse licensing system of states.

PTI adds: The Union Home Ministry on Monday assured the coastal states that it will provide all assistance to secure the sea-front and asked the Shipping Ministry to come up with a proposal within ten days on registration of fishing boats and issuing identity cards to fishermen.

At a high level meeting , chaired by Secretary (Border Management) Jarnail Singh and attended by representatives of nine coastal states and four Union Territories, the Home Ministry assured that adequate funds would be provided to the states to procure high-speed vessels, high-tech naval equipment and all other security requirements.

"We have asked the Shipping Ministry to submit a proposal within seven to ten days on how to have all fishing boats registered with the police department, to maintain a list of their owners and issuing identity cards to fishermen operating in high sea," a Home Ministry official said.

The moves comes considering the fact that the coastal states -- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal -- and four UTs follow different policy for registration of boats and it was felt that there was an urgent need to have uniformity on the issue.

The meeting considered a performa developed by the Register General of India and whether that could be emulated for issuance of identity cards to the fishermen.

Several states, including West Bengal, sought the Centre's help in setting up of new coastal police stations and strengthening of marine wing of state police, sources said.