Coastal security awareness campaign draws flak

[email protected] (CD Network)
July 27, 2011

Mangalore, July 27: With terrorism activities increasing day by day and terrorists opting sea-route to enter the country, it is important for the coast guards to tighten the security. “Fisher folk are the eyes and ears of the coastal security and help is required to keep the country safe,” said Staff Officer (Coastal Security) to the Naval Officer in Charge (Karnataka) Commander Tushar Sockey in a coastal security awareness campaign held at Mangalore on Tuesday.

India has 1750 km long coastal stretch and at several places the stretch lacks security forces. Hence, the fishermen have to be alert and inform in case they find anything unusual such as a person photographing or sketching, contacting ships with torch signals, transferring goods from a ship to a boat, transferring people, fisher folk fishing in areas not meant for fishing and are acting suspiciously or people urging fisher folk in buying their boats or renting them by paying a huge amount of money.

These incidents have to be reported immediately to the coastal security police by contacting toll free numbers 1093 and coast guards by contacting toll free number such as 1554, he said.

Sockey further stressed on the safety measures which have to be adopted by a fisherman before sailing into the sea such as usage of life buoys, life jackets and he demonstrated on how to use them. He advised fishermen to install Distress Alert Transmitters (DAT) in their boats which are available through subsidy from the government.

Fishermen retaliate

“We shall inform you in case of distress or suspicious events but how long will you take to respond,” questioned Panambur Beach Development Corporation Chairman Yatish Baikampaddy. The fisher folk have been asked to fax their complaints before action is taken. “Such kind of protocol is a hindrance during emergency,” pointed out Yatish.

The fishermen also stressed on appointing local fishermen in the coast guard security team and coastal security police. “We know the sea much better and also the fishermen,” they said. Fisherman Sharad Guddegoppla regretted that most of the people appointed in coast guards do not know the local language. “It is necessary to concentrate on area-wise recruitment,” he suggested. Another fisherman commented that the coast guards are not alert and waste too much of time following protocol during emergency.

Thushar Sockey said that he shall take down the suggestions and discuss it in higher level meetings.

Coast Gaurds Uttam Adhikari Shridhar Upadhyay said that the coast guards will be alert with a ready duty ship, whose engines will be working. However, sometimes if the ship engine is switched off, then it shall take two hours to start the engine, he said. He also informed that many a times, they have to wait for orders from Delhi office as a protocol.

Karavali Niyantrana Dala

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Coastal Security Police Inspector Mukund Nayak said that 200 fishermen are going to be employed by the coastal security police throughout the state. As many as 35 will be appointed in Mangalore in the 'Karavali Niyantrana Dala', he said.

These fisher folk will work similarly to the Home Guards concept. They shall accompany the coastal security police and will also conduct minor investigations and inform in case they get to know something. They shall be provided 10 day allowance in a month. The recruitment has taken place and the coastal squad may come into force by month end, he said.

'Missing fishermen'

Three fishermen, Francis, Vincy and Manoj who had set sail from Bengre on Saturday evening and are supposed to return on Sunday morning are missing. The last call recorded from them is from Manjeshwar, said Yatish Baikampaddy who added that when he had called the coast guards, no one was answering the phone and was asked to send a complaint via fax by the coastal security police.

However, the coast guards at the meeting said they were not aware of the matter and have informed the authorities immediately after they came to know in the meeting.

Coastal Security Police Inspector Mukund Nayak said that he had received the complaint from Yatish on Monday evening and had informed the authorities for action.

“We have complained on Monday evening but still action is not taken. The fishermen have gone to sea only with water bottles. If more time is wasted, then any mishap can occur,” he said. He also said that the coast guards should use their Dornier aircraft to conduct search operations.

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News Network
March 17,2024

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Bengaluru: The Vokkaliga heartland of the old Mysuru region consisting of several southern districts will be the testing ground for the recently forged BJP-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka in the Lok Sabha polls.

The ruling Congress will now look to consolidate its gains that it made in the assembly elections in May last year when it made inroads into the strongholds of the regional party headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda in these districts.

In the 2019 Pariamentary elections, the Congress and JD(S) fought together but secured only one seat each in the state. The BJP bagged 25 out of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats.

The Congress and JD(S) win, in fact, came in the old Mysuru region -- Bangalore Rural and Hassan, respectively, while Mandya seat went to an independent backed by the BJP.

This time, the JD(S) has an alliance with BJP. According to sources, the JD(S) is likely to be alloted Hassan, Mandya and Kolar seats in the region, from where Deve Gowda's party draws its strength from in Karnataka.

The JD(S) is now looking to bounce back after the drubbing it received in the May assembly polls.

The Congress and JD(S) are considered to be traditional rivals in the region, where the BJP has also been improving its vote-share.

The BJP-JD(S) alliance hopes to counter the Congress' surge in the region, determined to consolidate Vokkaliga votes in their favour and banking on the Modi charisma. Both parties also hope to gain from each other with this alliance.

The Congress is hoping to further its prospects and continue its dominance in the region, with the help of its strong local leadership and riding on its five guarantee schemes.

Both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress state President D K Shivakumar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister come from this region, and so does JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy, a former CM and that party's state President.

According to a political analyst, 'coordination among local leaders and transfer of votes between the parties are going to be key for the BJP-JD(S) alliance to click.' Lack of trust between sizeable workers and leaders of both parties on the ground had proved to be counterproductive for Congress and JD(S) combine in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, resulting in their rout and helping the BJP.

Both Congress and BJP have announced candidates for some seats in the region for the 2024 polls.

The Congress has re-nominated D K Suresh, brother of Shivakumar, from Bangalore Rural.

Interestingly, the BJP has fielded the scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from Mysore and noted cardiac surgeon and Deve Gowda's son-in-law, Dr C N Manjunath, from Bangalore Rural.

In Karnataka, the Lok Sabha elections will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7.

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News Network
March 27,2024

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Gokarna (Uttara Kannada): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Congress will decide about making him the Chief Minister in future, bringing to the fore again the issue of leadership change.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

During a temple visit here, a priest prayed that God's blessings may be showered on Shivakumar, and he became the Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters here in Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar, who has in the past made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term, responded to talk in some political circles about the leadership issue.

"What's wrong if a priest expresses his desire before God while praying? The priest has expressed his desire. Now Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister, I'm working as Deputy Chief Minister under him, also as party's state President. People speak about it and desiring it (Shivakumar should become CM) is a different matter, it will be decided by our party," Shivakumar said.

"Now we are all working under the leadership of Siddaramaiah, and our desire is that the state should progress further under his leadership," he said.

"There will be people including supporters and priests, who pray for us, they will express their opinion. Can we stop them from doing it? At the temple it is between God and his disciple, they have expressed their feelings to God," Shivakumar added. 

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News Network
March 15,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 15: Former Karnataka chief minister and senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act on Thursday for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor at his residence in Bengaluru last month.

Yediyurappa, 81, was booked after a woman lodged a complaint saying that she visited his residence on February 2 seeking justice in a rape case against her daughter and sought that a special investigation team (SIT) be formed to look into the case.

According to the first information report (FIR), Yediyurappa allegedly took the minor to a room, closed the door and sexually assaulted her. The woman further alleged in the FIR that when she confronted Yediyurappa, he said that he was checking if the girl was raped or not. Yediyurappa later allegedly apologised and asked the woman not to reveal the matter to anyone.

The Sadashivanagar police in Bengaluru have registered a case under Section 8 (commit sexual assault) of the Pocso Act and Section 354 (a) (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Reacting to the allegations, the former CM said that around one-and-a-half months ago, they (the victim and her mother) had come to his house seeking help and he had taken them inside. 

“After listening to her, I called the city police commissioner B Dayananda over phone seeking to address her problem. Later, they spoke against me and I then suspected that there is some health problem with her. I sent them to city police commissioner’s office. I even gave her some money as they were in distress. I came to know that an FIR has been registered and will look into it. But this is what I get for helping someone,” he added.

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