The Centre has warned the state about terror organisations plans to attack big industries on the coastal areas,but the Surat Marine Police and Customs Department are helpless as they do not have boats that can patrol the high seas during monsoon. According to sources,the Centre had recently written a letter to the DGPs of Maharashtra and Gujarat regarding terror threats on the sea coasts of the two states. It had also advised them to intensify patrolling in the areas. Hazira in Surat has mega industrial units like KRIBHCO,L&T,Reliance,ESSAR and Shell. A marine police station started functioning at Hazira from June 30,2006 for security as also to stop smuggling activities. But not a single patrol boat has been allotted to the Surat Marine Police department. Sea patrolling was earlier carried out by the staff of this police station on boats hired from local fisherman. But with the onset of monsoon,patrolling has been stopped since June 5,2009. These boats,sources said,cannot venture into deep sea during high tides. Besides,the Surat Marine Police has also been advised by the state government not to venture deep into the sea during monsoon as their life can be in danger due to rough weather conditions. On the other hand,Surat Customs department has also only one small speedboat which is not ideal for carrying out patrolling on the high seas during this season. Surat Marine Police Sub-Inspector V K Hadat said: We have stopped patrolling on the high seas. We will not start it before September when the monsoon season ends. The new boats,which have been allotted to the Surat Marine Police,are with a private shipbuilding company at Goa. Work on these boats has not been completed yet. He added: If the need arises,we take help from local fisherman to get information about activities take take place at high seas. S A Amle,an Assistant Commissioner with Surat Customs,said: We are regularly carrying out road patrolling in the villages which on the coastal areas. Apart from the jetty,we also keep watch on the coastal landing points through foot patrols. We have only one small boat which is unfit for use during monsoon. Amle said they are in constant touch with the officials of the industries located in Hazira belt as their goods are generally transported through the sea routes.
