Jaya demands setting up of coastal police stations

Charging the Tamil Nadu government with `being lethargic' in the area of coastal security, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on wednesday called for immediate steps to set up coastal police stations and ensure safety and security of the state and its people.

Referring to reports that Tamil Nadu, one of the states under the Centre's Coastal Security Scheme, had not established the required number of 12 coastal police stations, the AIADMK leader expressed fears that this could make the state's coast porous and provide easy access for extremist groups.

"The National Security Advisor (NSA) as well as Home Ministry have already warned that outlawed units like the LTTE and Al-Qaeda could use the seas for carrying out their activities, like attacking major ports of the country. In such a situation,the lack of coastal police stations does not augur well for the security of the state," she said in a statement in chennai.

A Group of Ministers (GoM) on Reforming the National Security System had in 2005 brought nine states and four Union Territories under the Coastal Security Scheme, with most of them including Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka among others, setting up the coastal police stations and utilising Central funds earmarked for this purpose,she said.

"In 1994, I first set up the Coastal Security Group, which effectively curbed LTTE movement as well as supply of materials to them through the sea," she said.

The State must act swiftly and establish the coastal police stations, the former Chief Minister urged.