Tamil Nadu CSG continue to gather strength; aiming to improve their performance

CHENNAI: For Tamil Nadu's coastal security group, listing its efforts at ensuring security along the state's long coast is not an achievement to be talked about during anniversaries of terror strikes in the country. It is an ongoing process.
Thanks to its efforts, the state along with Puducherry has been, according to a recent comparative report on security preparedness among coastal states in the country, ranked ahead of more sensitive states like Maharashtra and Gujarat.The CSG in Tamil Nadu has constantly tried to close loopholes in the coastal areas and build coastal vigilance committees for an uninterrupted flow of information. It is also seeking the infrastructure and equipment that it has been promised.
Work on Phase II of the coastal security plan is expected to start from the beginning of the next financial year.
The scheme of compulsory identity cards to fishermen is said to have covered almost all coastal villages.
"Coastal security is a full-time occupation. When we begin phase II, we can tremendously improve our performance with co-ordination of other agencies can make our coastal regions impenetrable," Rajesh Das, IG, CSG, told The Times Of India.
When phase II becomes a reality, the state's 1,076-km coast is likely to be dotted by 30 more marine police stations. Apart from the physical infrastructure, the CSG will also have state-of-the-art weapons, communication equipment and boats. The centre has already handed over 20 of the assured 24 patrolling boats to the CSG.
"We have been holding regular meetings with the coastal vigilance committees and the flow of information is good. Intelligence gathering has improved tremendously and we get to know about all sorts of unrest in the coastal regions," Rajesh Das said.
However, the modernisation of the state police is still on the backburner. Most assurances, apart from the NSG hub in Chennai, remain on paper. For the police, modernisation has been by and large restricted to construction of new buildings and purchase of new vehicles. For the last two years, according to sources, not a single penny has been allocated for buying weapons. Only the state intelligence wing has managed to get some of the latest equipment.
praveen.kumar8@timesgroup.com