Refuting reports that unidentified ships have dumped arms at the Kerala [Images] coast, the Coast Guard today said the west coast faced no serious threat from militant outfits including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

"The country's western coast is not facing any serious threat from militant outfits like LTTE," said Coast Guard Western Regional Commandant A Rajasekhar, aboard the Coast Guard ship 'Savitribhai Bhule.'

Reports that unidentified vessels were making trips to the area to dump arms were not correct, he said.

The Coast Guard has not come across any evidence about LTTE operations along the western coast, he said.

On the expansion and modernisation of the Coast Guard, he said a new air station would be commissioned at Port Blair in March, which would be the Coast Guard's second such facility after the one in Daman.

The Coast Guard had plans to strengthen its presence along Kerala coast with stations at Vizhinjam, Kollam and Beypore, he added.

The Coast Guard, with 600 officers and 6000 guards, was keeping vigil along an area of 2.01 million sq km.

Joint exercises with coast guards of other nations like the United States had proved beneficial to Indian Coast Guard, he said.

About increase in fishing-related mishaps off Kerala coast, he said supply of VHF communication sets to fishing boats would greatly help minimise the casualties and economic losses.