Kolkata security alert a wake up call to bring focus back on Bengal’s coastal security plan

However, in last five years, only six such police stations could be made barely operational, while two other coastal police stations are under construction.

While contacted, Raj Kanojia, DG, coastal security said, “we have plans to set up 14 coastal police stations. At present six stations are operational while eight would be constructed soon. Of these eight, buildings for two stations are under construction and these two stations would start operating shortly.”

Construction of buildings for two new Coastal Police Stations at Maipith and Talpatighat in South 24-Paganas and East Midnapore respectively is in progress.

The coastal security plan was divided into two phases. In the first phase, six Coastal Police Stations at Fraserganj, Maipith and Sunderban in South 24 Parganas, Hemnagar in North 24 Parganas and Digha Mohana and Talpatighat in East Midnapore districts have been made operational. In the second phase, eight new Coastal Police Stations at Junput, Mandarmoni and Nayachar under Purba medinipur district and Diamond harbor, harwood Point, Gangasagar, Gobardhanpur and Jharkhali under South 24 Parganas district are proposed to be set up under the Coastal Security Scheme.

However, the police sources claimed that land is a major issue for setting up the police station while the operational coastal stations are suffering from inadequate human resources and patrolling boats and its fuels. There is an extreme crisis of technical staff too and the patrolling boats of the coastal police stations cannot be operated without the technical staff. The state government sanctioned posts for 47 technical staff on contract basis for Coastal Security during the last financial year. Out of 47, 16 appointment letters were issued as of now.

Significantly, the Border Security Force (BSF) that is manning the Bangladesh border in and around the Sunderbans Mangrove forest area, asked the central government to set up eight floating border out posts for proper vigil. However, the proposal placed to the government a year ago has not been implemented yet.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police, following the terror alert has stepped up the vigil in river Hooghly and the Kolkata port area. Sources said that at least 40 officers of special branch of Kolkata police were deployed at the Kolkata port area in plain. These officers are in plain clothes posted in some of the strategic points. Entry to the port area has been restricted though the naval week was going on and there were ships in the exhibition for public viewing. Number of patrolling of river traffic police has been increased. Special pickets are there on the Khidderpore bridge near the port.

The Central Industrial Security Force personnel were also alerted and security beefed up at Kolkata and Haldia ports.