AP CS reviews coastal security
Hyderabad, Sept 8 (INN): The Third Apex Committee Review meeting on Coastal Security ' Andhra Pradesh was held on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao.
Officials from Navy, Coast Guard, Fisheries, Ports, Home and Finance Departments are the members in the Committee.
Initiatives on Coast Security in 974 KMs length of Coastal Area in Andhra Pradesh, functioning conditions of Radar Stations, Monitoring of fishing boats, issuing of ID Cards to Fishermen and other related were discussed in the meeting.
Members informed that under the Government of India Scheme Biometric Identity Cards are issued to 69% of Fishermen. The Chief Secretary directed the Fisheries Department to coordinate with Ministry of Fisheries, Government of India, to ensure to issue the ID cards to rest of the Fishermen and Fishermen must carry the Card while going for fishing in the Sea on security point of view. Officials should encourage and educate the Fishermen on carrying of the Biometric ID Cards, he said.
A total of 554 Coastal villages, 349 Fish Landing Centres and about 6 lakh fishermen are there in 974 KMs length of coastal line in the State. Commissioner of Customs (AP) S.K. Rahman informed that the Customs Department conducted Co-ordination and awareness meeting on anti-smuggling with the people living in the coastal Villages.
The Chief Secretary directed all the Coastal District Fisheries Officers to organize regularly awareness programmes with the coordination of Coast Guard Authorities, Coastal Security Police and Naval Authorities on Security related aspects such as online registration of boats, Carrying of boat registration certificates and biometric cards while going for fishing in sea, Painting of fishing vessels as per the colour code assigned to Andhra Pradesh,
Restrictions of fishing in security channels, Port limits, oil platforms, offshore installations, Identification and intimation of unknown fishing boats with crew entered into their coastal waters, antisocial elements and inform to Coastal Security Police, Coast Guard and Department through helpline phone.
The Department of Fisheries organized training programmes for Coastal Security Policy with 3 weeks duration at State Institute of Fisheries Technology, Kakinada on Coastal security aspects, marine laws, navigational and seamanship, safety in Sea, first aid, operation and maintenance of mechanized boats, security aspects etc. and so far 222 No. of Coastal Security Police were trained in 6 batches, Officials of Fisheries informed.
Prl. Finance Secretary Dr. P.V. Ramesh, Commissioner of Fisheries Ram Shankar Naik and others attended the meeting.
News Posted: 8 September, 2015
|
