Coast Guard rams up surveillance in Karnataka coastline

To boost Coast Guard's (CG) surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities on the country's west coast in Karnataka, CG OPV Varaha and CG Dornier 785 ex Kochi have been pressed into service to undertake extensive surveillance.

Both seawards and aerial surveillance of Karnataka coastline had been taken up from Sunday, said S Babu Venkatesh, Commander, Coast Guard, Karnataka.

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The surveillance will be air-sea coordinated operations. The Coast Guard ships and aircraft maintained extensive search in the area for intercepting any suspected vessel. Indian Coast Guard ships classified various contacts in the area and kept them under constant surveillance.

In addition, the fast Interceptor Boats C 448, C 420 and C 155 have been extensively deployed for coast patrol, to monitor all fishing boats and to act as deterrence to prevent any nefarious activities from Karwar up to Kasaragod, covering the 320-Km coastline.

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Further, Coast Guard Karnataka has been maintaining constant surveillance using the Remote Operating Station (ROS) Surathkal and Bhatkal using electronic means, he added.