31st Anniversary of Indian Coast Guards

The Indian Coast Guard celebrates its 31st Anniversary on Friday, the February 1, 2008, with an enhanced responsibility of guarding the Indian Coast and helping the distressed in the sea. While it has grown from strength to strength in its vigil operations, Coast Guards has been introducing advanced communications systems to help troubled fishermen in high seas.

The newest communication equipment being deployed is the Distress Alert Transmitters (DAT), designed and developed by Ahmedabad based Space Applications Center of ISRO.

DAT is a low-cost transmitter with a in-built Global Position System (GPS) to communicate the time and place details. Fishermen can use them to pass on messages for help to the Indian Coast Guard whenever they face serious and critical situations while in deep water. The emergency messages reach the Coast Guard station hub center, which in turn immediately initiate rescue operations alerting the Coast Guards at relevant centers. The transmitter operates through the DRT transponder of the INSAT 3A.

The dedicated efforts of the Coast Guard has resulted in saving 4,049 lives at sea to date, out of them 185 lives were saved in 2007 - that translates to a life being saved every second day.

The force is mandated with the task of protecting the marine wealth and vast ocean resources in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.01 million square kms. Since inception, the Coast Guard has apprehended 9,220 foreign fishermen along with 925 fishing vessels for violating the Maritime Zones of India Act. For better co-ordination, the Coast Guard has set up a hot-line with Pakistan and Inspector-General A Rajshekhar, Commander, Western Region says that it is working well. “Now, if an Indian fishing boat enters Pakistan waters, they call us to shepherd it back to our side instead of arresting the fishermen, as was being done earlier” he said.

Ships running aground was becoming another major challenge before the Coast Guards. “During the last monsoon, 27 ships ran aground, compared to 20 vessels the previous year.” Said, IG Rajshekhar, adding that “Coast Guards has taken up the matter with with the Director-General of Shipping to ensure that more than 25-year-old ships are not allowed into the Indian waters.”

The Coast Guard is also assisting Coastal States in setting up Marine Police Stations and training police personnel under the Coastal Security Scheme. Not forgetting its environmental mandate the Coast Guard has also vigorously pursued preservation of marine life. Every year, “Ops Olivia” is conducted to prevent the poaching of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles along the Orissa coast.

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