Report by Kahnu Nanda, Jagatsinghpur: In view of the anticipated fallout of the draft NRC in Assam Odisha government has sounded high alert and tightened security in coastline to thwart possible influx of illegal immigrants in to state. Police have been given extra vigil to be maintained at all coast harbors, fishing jetties, ports and coast sea boundary.
Government fears that who have not been enlisted in Assam draft NRC may try to enter Odisha coast fearing their deportation from Assam, as Odisha has become safer home for thousands of Bangladesh’s since years.
The state has a 485km long coastline from Baleswar to Ganjam and the vulnerable shoreline needs protection and implementation of strict security scheme.
Government has put emphasis strengthening coastal security, as result Navy, Coast Guard, marine police fisheries department have been pressed in to service, but three marine police stations functioning in coastal regions of Jagatsinghpur district run scanty set up and has found glaring inadequacies unable to deliver coastal security service.
Shortage of man power, lack of interceptor boats, infrastructure, Arm and Ammos, electronic gadgets and lack of training to marine Cops have been compromising coastal security endeavors by marine stations, report said.
Three marine police stations have been built in Jagatsinghpur district at Paradeep, Jatadhari river mouth near Erasama and Bandar under Balikuda coast but all trio lack required jetty for starting sea surveillance and stationing interceptor boat.
Paradeep marine police station uses Paradeep fishing harvour for sea voyage interestingly two interceptor boats supplied to this marine police station are standing idle due to technical snag past two years marine crews are still waiting for the boats to be repaired. One inspector rank police officer has been appointed along with few junior cops in Paradeep marine police station.
In Bandar marine police station the officer in charge post lying vacant past one year, Balikuda police station IIC has given additional charge supported by one Habildar and 6 constables the department has supplied six Lathis, two bikes and two guns have provided for marine security work and lacks interceptor boats. Bandar marine police station possess an well-furnished building 10 km away from sea shore, sans water and electric facilities, no quarters for Maine cops as result crews use police station as home and traverse nearby villages arranging drinking water. Ironically no wireless and telephone facilities have been supplied to this coastal police station since its beginning held in the year 2014.
Report said that the union government launched the coastal security scheme in the year 2005 as consequence marine police stations erected in Odisha in policing the long coastline. The Centre mandates giving 100 percent assistance for the infrastructure creation like purchase of interceptor boats, vehicles, arms and ammunitions electronic devices etc. and state only shares man power.
Shortage of trained marine personnel has proved main hindrance in functioning coastal police station, there are lack of officers, Habildars , constables, boat crews in each marine police stations across the coastal districts, the staff recruited for marine police stations did not have receive proper training so as to fight with sea invaders, the Indian coast guard Centre , Paradeep trains marine crews but due to lack of coordination between state police and coast Guard the exercise is getting halt.
Report said that all marine police stations functioning in coastal regions the only marine case is being registered at Paradip. Usually coast guard and Indian navy are at the surveillance works at Paradip coast, vessels and foreign fishermen are regularly checked by these sea personnel after detecting any violation of marine laws and identifying crewmen suspecting activities they are handed over to marine police for registering case.
Inadequacies of infrastructures and lack of man power at marine police stations are not reasons affecting coastal security in Paradip coastline, claimed Jagatsinghpur superintendent of police Prakash R, we have launched joint drive at seaside taking coast guard and fisheries department as well as marine police to thwart possible arrival of any intruders. fisheries department is taking count of vessels and boats including its crew members venturing to sea for fishing every day, marine cops have been deployed at Paradip fishing jetty, local fishermen have been asked and sensitized informing police after tracing any suspect person reaching to their areas, informed superintendent of police.
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