VIBHA VERMA
PANJIM: The Coastal Police will soon have its own headquarters as the crucial wing of Goa Police is preparing to flex its muscle with the procurement of high-tech ships and equipment.
The revamp of the coastal security arrangement has already begun so as to strengthen the protection of Goa’s porous coastline from potential infiltration. The active preparedness along the State’s 105 km stretch is also to keep strict vigil on smuggling, Deputy Inspector General of Police Vimal Gupta said.
“We will soon have self-contained headquarters in the State. The government’s intention to revamp coastal security is because intelligence inputs say that the threat is more from the sea than land. We are strengthening the State coastal police to also thwart other nefarious activities like possible attempts to smuggle arms and ammunitions, drugs, gold, explosives through the sea route,” he told Herald.
With the State government deciding to make coastal security a ‘focal area,’ it has laid special emphasis to provide the elite force with the latest equipment and upgrade its existing infrastructure. Gupta, who heads the marine police in the State, revealed that the procurement is being carried out under the Centre’s ‘Coastal Security Scheme’ launched in 2005 in a bid to strengthen the infrastructure for coastal patrolling and surveillance. Since the State lacks a dedicated jetty to anchor the vessels, the coastal police proposed upgrading the existing jetties. The Public Works Department (PWD) is expected to upgrade four of seven coastal police stations. The DIG added that the government has also approved shifting Chapora and Talpona coastal police stations to new buildings, work of which has begun.
He stated that the procurements and infrastructural development will be through phase-II of the central scheme. This, the senior IPS officer added, also includes procurement of four four-wheelers and eight two-wheelers. “In one month or so, the vehicles will be inducted into the coastal police force,” he said adding they are in the final stage of implementing the second-part of the scheme.
