India steps up coastal security

[Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - 7.31 GMT]

In view of the internal developments in Sri Lanka, India has stepped up coastal security in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, said the Hindustan Times today (31) quoting Indian Defence Minister AK Antony.

"We are giving high priority to the coastal security. This will be done in three levels with the involvement of the Navy, the Coast Guard and coastal police of the states concerned," the Minister has said.

The Hindustan Times report:
 

As India viewed internal developments in neighbouring Sri Lanka seriously, coastal security had been stepped up in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Defence Minister AK Antony said in Kollam on Tuesday.

India viewed the situation in Sri Lanka seriously especially in the wake of recent air strikes by LTTE near Colombo. Considering the southern peninsula's proximity to the island nation, monitoring along the Tamil Nadu
and Kerala coasts had been stepped up, he said.

"We are giving high priority to the coastal security. This will be done in three levels with the involvement of the Navy, the Coast Guard and coastal police of the states concerned," he said.

All the coastal states had been asked to set up coastal police stations and Kerala and Tamil Nadu had already taken steps in this regard. As part of strengthening the coastal surveillance and security in the south, more
radars would be installed to closely monitor the situation, he said.

On reports that some Kollam based fishermen missing since three weeks back had landed up in an LTTE camp in Sri Lanka along with a group of fishermen from neighbouring Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, Antony said the government had not received any official report from Tamil Nadu on this. 

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Last Updated Date: July 31, 2007 - 7.31 GMT