Coastguard Academy to be ready by 2016

 

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The Indian Coast Guard Academy in Kannur will be up and running by 2016, according to Indian Coast Guard director general vice admiral Anurag G Thapliyal.

Thapliyal said that the land acquisition for the academy is over and a detailed project report is being prepared.

This academy will have the capacity to train 300 Coast Guard officers and 800 sailors at a time besides  cadets from friendly foreign nations.

Interestingly, this would be the first such academy as Coast Guard does not have any institution of their own and their sailors are being trained by Indian Navy.

Thapliyal was here to inaugurate the new administrative building at Coast Guard air station, which is a aviation unit of coast guard for the eastern sea board and an integral component of the coastal security matrix.

He also said that Indian Coast Guard wants the high risk zone, which is perceived to be prone to piracy, reverted back to Lakshwadeep from Kanyakumari.

The earlier 65-degree limit to the high-risk area was 600 nautical miles off the Mangalore coast. But the revised piracy-prone high risk zone extends right up to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.

Thappliyal said the government is in talks with Indian Maritime Organisation and other agencies as it feels the continued extension of high risk areas close to Indian coast is a threat to the safety of fishermen.

He said that India is seeking the high risk zone be reverted back to 65 degree longtitude to Lakswadeep from the current 78 degree longtitude classification.

“This has resulted in ships touching the Indian coast posing a threat  to fishermen. For the last two to two and a half years there had been no incidents of piracy. The high risk zone should be reverted back to 65 degree longtitude,” Thapliyal said.

He also said the trial of maritime surveillance system, which is part of the coastal security scheme, on 200 boats of Gujarat fishermen is expected to take place by October next year.