Gujrat coastal security plan fails to take off

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Government's Rs 327 crore costal security plan, submitted to the Union Government in the year 2005, has failed to take off as the Centre has not sanctioned the full amount.

With the terrorists striking for the first time via sea route using a fishing trawler Kuber owned by Porbandar fisherman, the state government officials think that the time is ripe to implement the coastal security plan.

"We had submitted a coastal security plan for the state, that has a wide coastline just near Pakistan, to the Union Government in the year 2005," Minister of State for Home Amit Shah said.

However, the state government says that the security plan has not taken off as the Central Government has released only Rs 58.42 crore instead of the demand of Rs 327 crore.

As per the plan the government wanted to set up 51 police stations on 1,600 kms coastline in the eleven coastal districts of the state, officials said but the Centre has approved just 10 police stations.

Similarly, the plan included setting up of 70 outposts in the coastal areas but the Central Government has sanctioned only 46 outposts, officials said.

The state wanted to equip coastal police with modern marine gadgets like speed boats and other weapons but it could not be done due to lack of funds, they said.

Though the government has built 10 police stations which have been sanctioned by the Centre, they do not have modern equipment to carry out patrolling in the sea, officials said.