Why Gujarat’s huge coastline is vulnerable
Coastal security threat is a major issue that has been consistently ignored by the Gujarat government. Transportation of drugs, weapons and explosives through the sea route is common but the Mumbai terrorist attack has highlighted a dangerous aspect besides this commercial one. Gujarat has 41 ports, of which only Kandla is a major one. Even among these, only a dozen ports have activity – that too not round the year. Obviously, these ports are the biggest entry points for terrorists. Earlier, smugglers used this coastal passage. Now, terrorists have established that it is a safe passage for them also.
Lack of vigil along the coastline, and lax security at ports and landing points reflect the state of affairs. Security of the ports comes under the Gujarat Maritime Board. The state of security can be gauged from the fact that just one port, Magdulla, has International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS). The code has been fixed by the International Maritime Agency. The government has now decided to implement it in 10 ports.
The ISPS code is the minimum security requirement for ships, ports and government agencies. It is being implemented internationally since 2004. The Code prescribes responsibilities of governments, shipping companies, shipboard personnel, and port/facility personnel to “detect security threats and take preventive measures against security incidents affecting ships or port facilities used in international trade”. Under the Code, the port’s surveillance, peripheral fencing and ship-to-shore interface are covered.
According to Captain SC Mathur of the GMB, steps are being taken to strengthen security at the ports. Electric fencing with breach alarms is to be set up. This was decided at a recent meeting between the GMB, Navy and intelligence personnnel.
Gujarat does not have trained staff for coastal security. With Central government help, it has set up 10 marine police stations but the staff is drawn from the local police. In the past, there were proposals to induct the Gujarat Industrial Security Force or Central Industrial Security Force at ports but no decision was ever taken. Following 26/11, Gujarat has mooted a fresh proposal to deploy the CISF.
Recently, the state Home department officials had a meeting with Central officials on the coastal security issue. The Centre has assured it will release more funds under the coastal security plan. According to a senior official of the state Home department, Gujarat has drawn up an elaborate security plan which consists of setting up 51 coastal police stations, 70 outposts and 90 watch towers. It has also assured it will provide 30 speedboats.
Earlier, Gujarat had bought boats with speeds of up to 6 nautical miles per hour whereas what was needed was speedboats of about 12 nautical miles per hour. When the audit department detected the blunder, the officers responsible said the job was hardly aggressive and that slower vessels would do!
A major security threat is posed by containers. Apart from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mumbai, no port in the country has proper mechanism to scan containers. Thus, there is no check on material that is being transported. A majority of the containers coming to Gujarat transit through places like Dubai. There is every possibility of these containers being used to smuggle arms and explosives, and also for human trafficking as they are air-conditioned.
Gujarat is most vulnerable because of its location. It has two ports, Pipavav and Mundra, that handle freight containers. At present, both ports have random checks through hand-held scanners.
The high-tech scanning system, costing around Rs 50 crore, takes every container to the screening framework and brings it back. The containers pass through the scanning channel smoothly.
Gujarat also plans to introduce strict procedures for registration of fishing vessels in the smaller ports. “Although we register only trawlers and ships, we will also monitor the smaller boats in the state,” said Captain Mathur.
In the past, the Gujarat coast has been used to smuggle in RDX and weapons. In 1993, Mamummiya (real name Umarmiya Panjumiya Bukhari) was caught with RDX and automatic weapons. The police has now picked up a man who is a master of navigating the safe secret sea route between India and Pakistan after the Mumbai incident.
Gujarat had bought boats with speeds of up to 6 nautical miles per hour whereas what was needed was speedboats of about 12 nautical miles per hour
Gujarat’s maritime USP
The state, with its 1600-km coastline and ports, is a major maritime state but its entrepreneurs have made it excel in maritime trade. Much of the success is because of the port-based industries of Gujarat. Industrialists benefited from the liberal initiatives of the Government of India coupled with measures like port policies and infrastructural framework of the state government and set up captive jetties. Hence, 80 per cent of the income in the state is from captive jetties and not from the ports. The captive jetties have assured cargo handling for the needs of port-based industry.
Hajira is the only port in the country for handling LNG. Dahej handles liquid chemicals. Gujarat Chemical Port Terminal Co. Ltd has specialized facilities for handling and storage of gaseous and liquid chemicals of cryogenic and non-cryogenic types. It caters to the LNG needs of not only Gujarat but Rajasthan, MP, Maharasthra, Delhi and Punjab.
