Indian Coast Guard Commander of Western Region A Rajasekhar on Wednesday reiterated that there was no terrorist threat along the west coast and from the uninhabited islands of the country.
Speaking to media persons onboard ICGS Varuna after witnessing an 'Anti-piracy and Armed Robbery Exercise' ten nautical miles off Kochi Coast, Commander Rajasekhar said, "Though infiltration through sea is possible, the Coast Guard is patrolling the coastline by air and water to thwart any potential threat."
"The force is also patrolling the 200-odd uninhabited islands of the country and there is no unusual activity in these islands," he added.
To meet the challenges on expansion of the exclusive economic one in 2009, Commander Rajasekhar said his organisation was planning to have more air and boat stations across the country.
He said a new air station will be opened in Porbandar by April next year and another one here in the next two to three years.
Besides, three boat stations will be commissioned in Viraval in Gujarat, Dhanu and Murundjungiri, both in Maharashtra, in the near future.
"The Coast Guard was also contemplating to open a training centre for its cadets in Goa and was in talks with the Kerala government to lay an air strip in Thiruvananthapuram," he noted.
Commander Rajasekhar admitted that the Coast Guard will need more ships and aircraft with the expansion of the EEC. Earlier, the Coast Guard conducted the exercise in cooperation with agencies like Cochin Port Trust, Fisheries, Police, Excise and Marine Enforcement.
The aim of the exercise was to gauge the pirate threat scenario, correct reporting procedure for pirate attacks and assess co-ordination and cooperation between different government agencies concerned.
Coast Guard offshore vessels like ICGS Varuna and Veera, fast patrol vessel Savitirbai Phule, and Dornier aircraft and Chetak helicopters participated in the four-hour mock drill.
Rajasekhar said similar exercises will be conducted in other ports across the country.
He said the Coast Guard was also planning to conduct a 'pollution response exercise' in Kochi in the immediate future.
Inspector General of Police Vinson Paul, Kochi Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham and senior officials of government agencies witnessed the exercise.
