High-level panel under Cab Secy to monitor coastal security

New Delhi, June 18 (PTI) The Indian government Thursday
set up a high-level committee headed by Cabinet Secretary K M
Chandrasekhar to strengthen the coastal security apparatus and
regularly monitor progress in measures taken after the 26/11
Mumbai terror attacks.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting called by
Defence Minister A K Antony in South Block and attended by
prominent government functionaries including National Security
Advisor M K Narayanan and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, apart
from the Cabinet Secretary.

"The high-level committee that has been set up under the
Cabinet Secretary will meet frequently to review the coastal
security situation," a Defence Ministry spokesperson said
here.

The meeting also discussed the progress made with regard
to previous decision for fast track acquisition for Navy and
Coast Guard, including fast-attack crafts, off-shore patrol
vessels and surveillance aircraft and helicopters, he said.

"At the meeting, Antony asked the Navy and Coast Guard to
optimally use their assets and force for coastal
surveillance," the spokesperson added.

The meeting, which went on for over an hour, was attended
by Coast Guard Director General Vice Admiral Anil Chopra,
Navy's deputy chief, representatives from Petroleum, Shipping
Ministries and ministries with roles in sea-faring, and other
maritime security agencies.

The meeting comes a month after Antony had reviewed the
coastal security apparatus with top officials of the Defence
Ministry and the Armed Forces on May 11 under the previous UPA
dispensation.

During that meeting, it was decided that the discussions
on coastal security should be held in detail once again,
extending the scope of issues by including other ministries
with relevance in maritime activities.

Coming under sharp criticism in the wake of the Mumbai
terror attacks that exposed chinks in the coastal security
armour of the country, the previous United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) government had in February this year announced
a slew of measures to strengthen the maritime protection
apparatus.

Navy was designated as the agency with overall
responsibility for coastal security and placed Coast Guard
assets under it to carry out joint anti-terror operations on
seas and territorial waters.

The government also announced the setting up of joint
intelligence gathering and sharing centres of both Navy and
Coast Guard and creation of a 1,000-man Sagar Prahari Bal for
the Navy to secure and protect its own installations all along
the 7,500-km-long coastline.

It also granted approval to the Navy and Coast Guard to
purchase crafts, boats, aircraft and helicopters under the
fast track acquisition process to strengthen their abilities
to fight and to prevent terror activities. PTI NCB
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