Attack on fishermen: Centre urged to initiate steps

Monday, April 16, 2012: Kerala urged the Centre to take steps to get the international Maritime Community to declare that the Ocean along the coast line of India is free from piracy unlike the coasts of Africa.
In his address at the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security here, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said this would prevent unfortunate incidents like the ones that happened recently off the coast of Kerala.
“In the light of the recent attacks on fishermen (by Italian ship) along our coast, it is imperative that we not only enhance vigil on our coastal borders but also strengthen the protection to our seafaring communities,” he said, adding communication gadgets must be provided to fishermen so that fishing could be a secure economic activity.
Government may consider extension of the territorial limit of licenses to telecom operators so that mobile connectivity is provided across seas at least up to 30 km. The Coast Guard/Navy must be sensitised to take upon the role of protecting our fishing communities, fishing within and outside territorial waters/Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). “Kerala is home to a 600-km long coastline.
We treat the security of our coastal border at par with the security of land borders,” he said, adding towards this end, besides conscientiously implementing the centrally sponsored Coastal Security scheme, Kerala has been gone further ahead by implementing the Kadalora Jagratha Samithi (Coastal Vigilance Committee) Scheme- a community policing initiative aimed at improving the security along the coast with the active partnership of the coastal community.
The scheme has been a resounding success and Police have received useful information from the seafaring and coastal communities. The efficacy of this network has been repeatedly tested successfully in the ‘Triton’ exercises.