Coast Guard to acquire 3 pollution control vessels: Inspector General 30 Dec 2005 - UNI
Panaji: The Indian Coast Guard will acquire three state-of-the-art pollution control vessels in the next two years for an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore, according to Inspector General A Rajasekhar, Commander, Coast Guard, here today. Addressing to media persons after the launch of extra fast patrol vessel at the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Mr Rajasekhar said that these vessels were now being built by the builder ABG at Surat. He said the acquisition of vessels was necessitated due to oil slicks or release of oil by vessels on the high seas, which causes marine pollution. The vessels will totally be dedicated to the pollution control operation at seas whenever required, he added. The coast guard which has 65 vessels and 40 aircraft at its command, also plans to acquire five more off-shore patrol vessels in a couple of months, besides two advanced offshore patrol vessels from the (GSL) within the next two years, he said. Mr Rajasekhar said negotiations were on with suppliers for provision of 15 more high-speed boats and orders were likely to be placed before March next year. The Coast Guard, he said, shall assist three new coastal police stations at Viramal in Gujarat, Murud Janjira and Dhanau in Maharashtra. The country has decided to set up 68 such coastal police stations after the Kargil war, and the Coast Guard operates 15 such stations, he informed. Strengthening of the Coast Guard network was necessary to protect the country's 7,500 km coast line and 2.01 million square exclusive economic zone following certain international conventions, he said. Earlier, Mr Rajasekhar's wife Lakshmi launched the GSL-built extra fast patrol vessel 'Samudra Kumari Chauhan' at the shipyard by breaking a coconut. GSL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Rear Admiral M K Handa, speaking earlier, said the shipyard had embarked on a modernisation plan to take care of all the future orders from the coast guard and the Indian navy. Samudra Kumari Chauhan, the third vessel of a series of five, was delivered nine months ahead of schedule, he added. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
