Security threat looms as ports remain porous

GANDHINAGAR: With the state government failing to budge on its decade-old demand, Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has once again reiterated the need for a force having the powers to arrest and use arms to provide the required security at its ports.
Sources said that the GMB authorities have once again written to the state home department 10 days back conveying that the Gujarat Industrial Security Force (GISF) personnel posted at the ports are grossly insufficient and are proving to be ineffective.
"There are just five to 10 persons deployed at the ports and they do not even have a baton in their hands. How can they manage the security at the ports?" a top official told TOI.
Sources disclosed that recently the Indian Coast Guard had sent a missive to the GMB pointing out that the security apparatus on its ports was dismal.
"We could not help but agree to what they said. We wrote back saying that the Coast Guard take up the matter with the state government at the top level," sources said.
It was in 2003 that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had carried out a survey in the main ports of the state and had pointed out the loopholes in the security. It had suggested that appropriate measures be taken to beef up the security on these ports. Since then the matter has remained on paper only despite the issue of port security being raised time and again by various agencies. The GMB has 42 ports under its jurisdiction of which less than 10 are operating fully.
A little over a month back, the central security agencies had reportedly pointed at serious lapses and recommended immediate action for strengthening the port security of Gujarat. After the audit of 21 non-major ports, recommendations for improving the port security were made to the state government, shipping ministry, Indian Coast Guard and Navy.
The state government had said that it was mulling increasing the GISF strength with its focus on improving use of technology for surveillance of ports. But, the GMB has categorically demanded a special force with the power to arrest and use arms if required to maintain security at the ports.