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Only 2 boats can face rough weather
Coastal patrolling activities of the Mumbai police are likely to be severely hit during the four monsoon months on account of rough weather and choppy sea conditions.
Coastal patrolling activities of the Mumbai police are likely to be severely hit during the four monsoon months on account of rough weather and choppy sea conditions.
Only two of the 14 procured boats are capable of withstanding the weather and hence will venture on the coastline of about 124 km. The Mumbai police administration claims to have taken alternative steps to reinforce security on the coastline.
Joint commissioner of police, Law and Order, Rajnish Seth told HT that the Sagri Suraksha Bal (a central agency that looks after the security of coasts) along with the Coastal police personnel will be deployed along the coast to sensitise locals as well as patrol the coastline.
“Our force will be put on bandobast duty at the landing points. The Sagri Suraksha Bal will also aid us in the arrangements,” Seth said. Apart from the two boats, four Sealegs will be put on the beaches to man vulnerable points.
“That way coastal policing across the country is affected during the monsoon. The Coastal police boats are meant only for patrolling along the coastline. That is why the Navy and the Coast Guard, which have big robust ships, step in to man the coastline during monsoon.”
Seth said the entire Coastal police of 120 personnel are redeployed in police stations and chowkies and put into patrolling of the land adjacent to the coastline through the season.
But the question remains why Mumbai police did not foresee the monsoon conditions before acquiring the boats costing Rs 9 crore (spent on the purchase of boats for Coastal police. Police sources said that in the absence of intensive patrolling in the monsoon, Mumbai’s coastline will remain as vulnerable as it was before the 26/11 terror attacks.
Deploying men on land adjacent to the sea or (established) landing points will be mere lip service for serious security responsibility.
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