TEAM HERALD
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that national security is of utmost importance and has hinted that Goa could have an academy on national security. He asked the Forum for Integrated National Security, Goa Chapter (FINS) to come out with detailed programme in this regard.
The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating a two-day national seminar on development and security of Bharatiya islands and coastline at Calangute on Saturday. Speaking further Parrikar said he was concerned about the coastal security and therefore had raised the coastal security police in the State way back in 2000, when he was the chief minister then. He said it is very important that we understand the aspects of patriotism. When national anthem is being played security personnel who are required to guard are also standing in attention position leaving their actual job. This aspect he said needs to be looked into in the interest of security.
In his keynote address former Chief of Indian Navy, Admiral Arun Prakash, (Retd), said that there is need to ensure that the vital joint operation centres are continuously fed with up-to-date intelligence, unimpeded by inter-agency turf-wars and rivalries, for quick analysis and dissemination to the commander in chief of the coastal defence. An area of weakness is the marine police which constitutes our last line of defence against coastal attack. State police forces have generally been unprepared and reluctant to shoulder this new responsibility. It needs to be ensured that with help from the navy and coast guard this lacuna is plugged. He said a strong and balanced navy is, not doubt, vital for India’s March towards major power status; and such a force will soon be a reality.
While mentioning about maritime adventure and Goan connection, Admiral Prakash said that it was a Goan shipbuilder, Ratnakar Dandekar, who built the sailing boat Mhadei in Divar on the Mondovi River. In 2010, a naval officer, Cdr Donde became the first Indian to sail around the world, solo, in Mhadei. Three years later, another brave naval officer Cdr Tomy became the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo and non-stop in the trusty and well-built Mhadei.
