The contentious issue as to whether the Border Security Force (BSF) or the Coast Guard should take responsibility for guarding the unmanned 40-km long coastal area between Jakhau and Medi in Gujarat may finally be resolved. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has assured the state that it will call a high-level meeting of the two security agencies and take a final decision on the long-pending debate.

The Gujarat frontier of BSF shrugs off the responsibility on grounds that its jurisdiction extends only till the creeks in Medi, which is guarded by its boats.

On its part the Coast Guard claims that its large vessels cannot reach the area and hovercrafts get damaged there.

“With limited resources, the state police personnel have been deployed only on the land areas along the shore while the sea remains unguarded,” said S G Bhati, in-charge of state’s coastal security, DIG (Junagadh range).

Gujarat has on several occassions earlier raised the issue of vulnerability of this area to infiltration and other anti-social and terrorist activities. This year alone, the state had brought up the issue during the annual Chief Ministers’ conference in August and the Annual DGPs’ conference in September.

“The first categorical assurance from the Centre, however, came this Tuesday during a video conference with the cabinet secretary and the secretary of border management. They have assured to soon call a high-level meeting of senior BSF and Coast Guard officers and take a final decision on the matter,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Balwant Singh.

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