KAKINADA: The Union minister of state for defence MM Pallam Raju has said the defence ministry was chalking out plans to strengthen the security along the country's 7,500 km long coastline in the next two years. Steps were being taken in the coastal areas to avoid a repeat of 2008 Mumbai terror attack-like incidents, he said.Pallam Raju was speaking after commissioning an Indian Coast Guard ship, ICGS C-151 at Kakinada port here on Saturday. The ship would boost the maritime security cover and surveillance in the Krishna-Godavari basin, and also facilitate a quick response to emergency situations, he said.The ship would augment the security cover provided by ICGS Gangadevi and interceptor boat C-141, which are based at Kakinada at present.He promised to extend necessary support from the district administration for infrastructure facilities for Coast Guard stations.Pallam Raju further said that since inception the Coast Guard has undertaken 1,495 search and rescue missions and saved 5,178 lives. On anti-piracy front, the Coast Guard has undertaken 11 successful anti-piracy operations since 1999.The Coast Guard has five CG stations and one air enclave. Two more stations and a regional headquarters at Kolkata were in the pipeline and by the end of 2012, there will be a total of 42 CG stations, 5 air stations and 10 air enclaves functioning from various locations along the coast, the minister said.SP Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard East region, said that ICGS C-151 was the third ship commissioned at Kakinada port in the last three years.Kakinada rural MLA K. Kannababu, Indian Coast Guard Inspector General IV Sarma, Kakinada coast commandant SNM Patnaik, Kakinada sea ports CEO YS Prasad were present.
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