(a) whether the country faces threats of air-borne and sea-borne terror attacks;
(b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
(c) whether the State Governments including Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra have been urged to take additional precautions;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps the Government proposes to take to meet the situation?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4460 BY SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE,
SHRI MADHU GOUD YASKHI, DR. SANJEEV GANESH NAIK, DR. KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI, SHRI UDAI SINGH, SHRI NITYANANDA PRADHAN
AND SHRI MILIND DEORA TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2009 REGARDING ‘THREAT OF TERROR ATTACKS’
(a) to (e): There are no specific inputs regarding this. However, as and when any specific inputs are received, the
concerned Central/State authorities take appropriate actions immediately. There is standard institutional mechanism
to handle such situations.
The Government has been, on continuing basis, reviewing the security arrangements in the light of emerging challenges,
including terrorist incidents, and a number of significant steps have been taken to enhance the level of preparedness
to counter these incidents, to strengthen the intelligence and security apparatus, and strengthen legislative and
investigative provisions to counter terrorism.
With a view to strengthen coastal security of the country, many important decisions/initiatives have been taken.
The Indian Navy has been designated as the authority responsible for overall maritime security which includes coastal
security and offshore security. The Indian Coast Guard is additionally designated as the authority responsible for
coastal security in territorial waters including areas to be patrolled by Coastal Police. The Director General Coast
Guard has been designated as Commander Coastal Command responsible for overall coordination between Central and State
agencies in all matters relating to coastal Security.The Indian Coast Guard is taking many other steps for strengthening
their infrastructure.
The implementation of existing Coastal Security Scheme, which provides for setting up of 73 coastal police stations,
97 check posts, 58 outposts and 30 operational barracks, equipped with 204 vessels and vehicles, in the nine coastal
States four coastal Union Territories, has been expedited. So far, 59 coastal police stations have already been
operationalised. Supply of interceptor boats to the States/UTs has also started.
For further strengthening the coastal security, several other important initiatives have been taken. The coastal States
/UTs are carrying out the exercise of vulnerability/gap analysis jointly with Coast Guard, to firm up their additional
requirements, in respect of coastal police stations, vehicles, boats etc., for formulation of a comprehensive proposal
for further approval of the Government of India.
Department of Shipping has been mandated to streamline the process of registration of all types of vessels, i.e. fishing
as well as non-fishing vessels, and also to ensure fitting/provision of navigational and communication equipments on these
boats.
Department of Fisheries is taking steps to issue ID cards to all the fishermen. The Registrar General of India (RGI)
is also issuing ID cards under Multi-purpose National Identity Card (MNICs) Scheme to all the population in the coastal
villages including fishermen.