The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Coast Guard official begins visit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 24, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Coast Guard official begins visit

Staff Reporter

To assess situation along maritime boundary

Rajendra Singh will visit some remote points in Indian territorial waters
Operational capabilities of personnel will be inspected

RAMANATHAPURAM: Inspector-General Rajendra Singh, Commander, Coast Guard, Eastern Region, on Sunday began a three-day visit to the Coast Guard installations to assess the ‘ground realities’ along the maritime boundaries of India and Sri Lanka.

The visit assumes significance in the backdrop of the recent arrest of some suspected militants of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelem in Tamil Nadu and the seizure of a huge quantity of potassium chlorate and other supplies meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka.

The Coast Guard station at Mandapam is considered one of the key and active installations in the entire east coast, as it safeguards the Tamil Nadu coast from the “activities” perpetuated in the Island nation by patrolling along the Palk Strait, the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar.

Mr. Rajendra Singh is expected to study the “critical” aspects that pose a challenge to the State’s security. He is also visiting some of the remote points in the Indian territorial waters. “I will study all aspects of the security scenario in the region and inspect the operational capabilities of Coast Guard personnel,” Mr. Rajendra Singh told The Hindu on Sunday after holding preliminary discussions with Commandant K. Janardhanan, Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Station, Mandapam.

Mr. Rajendra Singh said he would visit the International Maritime Boundary Line, Adam’s Bridge and the islands of Gulf of Mannar to take stock of the security situation. He would also visit some of the vessels deployed in the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar and meet the personnel. Coast Guard sources said the arrival of refugees, illegal ferry service, smuggling of various materials, the role of a section of fishermen in smuggling, the mechanism to prevent LTTE militants reaching Rameswaram under the guise of refugees, fishermen’s problems, shooting of Tamil Nadu fishermen, coordination of various security agencies and ways and means of effective implementation of maritime laws would also be discussed.

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