Chhatrapur: The sea coast in Ganjam district is left unguarded and is open to intrusion by outsiders despite presence of two marine police stations in the district.
The marine police stations have failed to function properly due to lack of manpower and infrastructure. While interceptor boats for sea patrolling are lying defunct, two police stations find it difficult to guard the coastline with a handful of staff. As a result, the vast coastline has been thrown open to intrusion by outsiders.
District collector Prem Chandra Choudhury has called a meeting of the district level coastal security committee April 11. The collector is likely to review the coastal security. Ganjam and Berhampur police have been asked to attend the meeting.
Sources said the marine police stations were established with an aim to stop illegal fishing and keep a watch on the coastal security.
Protection of the sea line has become all the more important due to presence of Gopalpur Port and a plant of Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL) of the Atomic Energy department of the Centre. Any outside interference will disturb the security of the key establishments.
Mumbai attack in 2008 had forced policymakers to enhance coastal security following which the Centre directed states to establish marine police stations in sea side regions. As a result, the state government established a marine police station at Aryapalli in Ganjam March 1, 2009.
A new building was constructed but it had to manage with a handful of staff and without any patrolling boat. Later, two interceptor boats were provided to the police station but it became defunct during Phailin in 2013. The two boats are lying in the jetty of the Gopalpur boat and are yet to be repaired.
Its jurisdiction extends from Prayagi to Haripur port
While the police station needs to have 84 employees it is managed by an ASI, six constables and four home guards. This police station even does not have CCTv or an inverter. Its compound wall has collapsed due to constant coastal erosion. Later, another police station was established at Patisunpur (Bahuda river mouth) June 8, 2014.
It jurisdiction extends from Gopalpur to Patisunpur.
This police station is still functioning from a rented house and has no interceptor boats. It is managed by a handful of staff.
The two police stations have failed to discharge their original duties for which they were established. PNN
