Puri: The district administration will soon install two radars on the coast to keep tabs on suspicious boats and other seafarers.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the district-level coastal security coordination committee presided over by superintendent of police Sarthak Sarangi Thursday.
While one of the radars would be installed on Chandrabhaga lighthouse another will be set up at Arakhakuda, it was revealed in the meeting. “Fishermen who venture into the sea will be asked to register their boats and trawlers with the administration. It has been decided that all the sea-going boats will be painted with the same colour,” said an official.
Sources said fishermen operate at least 100 trawlers and 4,816 mechanised boats in Puri coast. “All the trawlers have been provided with registration numbers. We have also registered all the mechanised boats, but 20 per cent of them are yet to be painted,” said the official.
Marine fisheries department sources said the district has 24,598 fishermen families. The administration has issued biometric identity cards to all the fishermen.
The administration claimed that it has deployed a vessel and two boats to carry out patrolling on the 150.4-km coast in the district. “The district police will bring another vessel from Kendrapara coast to intensify sea patrolling. The marine police and fisheries department will jointly manage the patrolling boats,” said a police officer.
The state government has set up four marine police stations at Penthakata, Chandrabhaga, Arakuda and Astarang to ensure security along the coast. These marine police stations have been asked to carry out patrolling up to 12 nautical miles off the coast. “Marine police officials have been asked to visit all the 86 fishermen villages regularly and create awareness regarding security issues. The intelligence department officials will also visit these villages to collect information regarding suspicious elements in the sea,” said the police officer.
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