Focus on checking migrants taking sea route to enter state

BHUBANESWAR: After stepping up vigil at airports, railway stations and interstate border checkpoints, the state government has now mounted surveillance on the coastline to prevent influx of people from other states through the sea route. The government has asked the 18 marine police stations in the state to intensify patrolling and has formed the Sagar Rakshyak Dal, comprising volunteers of local communities, to keep tabs on outsiders.
“Our men are on the job. Personnel of the 18 marine police stations have intensified patrolling along the coastline as well as fishing centres. Thirteen high speed motorboats have been given to the marine police. Homeguards have been specifically asked to check boats and travellers. Unauthorized vessels in the sea would be seized,” additional director general of police (coastal security) Pranabindu Acharya said.
Sagar Rakshyak Dals have been constituted under each marine police station to help the police identify unauthorized sailors. Most of the volunteers belong to the marine fishing community. Though the government has made it mandatory for people coming from other states by road, train and flight to either show RT-PCR negative report or final vaccination certificate after both doses, no such advisory has been given for anyone coming via sea.
“During last year’s lockdown, we had witnessed a number of fishing boats carrying stranded migrants from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu coming to Ganjam and Kendrapada districts. We have to remain alert this time,” another police officer said.
Some officers said it is difficult to keep tabs on the entire 487-km coastline with only a handful of marine police personnel. Lack of infrastructure and inadequate speedboats are adversely affecting the functioning of the marine police stations