Coast Guard beefs up security along Karnataka coastline

Coast Guard beefs up security along Karnataka coastline

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Jan 03: The entire coastline of Karnataka, stretching along 300kms, will be brought under electronic surveillance by April, as part of which two sophisticated radars will be installed in the lighthouses of Suratkal and Bhatkal by April 2011.

This move is a security measure undertaken by the government following the Mumbai attacks of 26/11. The data from these radars will be recorded at the Radar Operating System (ROS) at the Coast Guard’s headquarters in Mangalore. Radars are being installed in several places so that they can become functional in the next 4 – 6 months, said Coast Guard Executive Officer Rajender Singh Japal.

Explaining the uses of these radars, Mr. Japal said that they will help coast guards monitor boats plying along the coast. Currently, the coast guards use their fast patrol boats and Dornier aircraft to monitor the coasts, he said. The Coast Guard has also beefed up security along the coastline by increasing the number of its ships and aircraft and by setting up new air enclaves and stations. A new station will be launched in Minicoy on Dec 24 and another will be set up in Ratnagiri in March 2011 and two more will be set up in Dhanu and Androth in 2011, he said.

Coast Guard stations will be set up in Gangolli and Bhatkal along with another station at Karwar. A hovercraft will also be positioned at Karwar so that the Coast Guard can respond quickly to any invasion via sea.