Coast Guard to sensitise eastern coast fishermen on security

Kolkata, Jan 17 (IANS) The Indian Coast Guard will sensitise nearly 1,500 fishermen from West Bengal and Odisha to act as its "eyes and ears" to check for illegal movements along the eastern seaboard and the coastal waterways, an official said on Wednesday.

The Coast Guard will arrange for a five day motor-cycle rally and free medical camps at least five coastal points in the two states including Digha, Haldia (Bengal) and Paradip (Odisha) where the attending fishermen would also be trained on the possible security threats in those regions.

"We will train the fishermen to be the eyes and ears of the Coast Guard. This is a routine exercise that we conduct every year on territorial basis. However, this time we are planning to conduct the large-scale medical camps as part of Coast Guard Day celebrations in at least five points across the eastern coastline," Coast Guard spokesman Avinandan Mitra told reporters here.

"I think there would be at least 200-300 fishermen in each health camp. So we are looking to sensitise nearly 1,500 fishermen this time," he added.

Twenty riders on 10 motorbikes will participate in the bike rally, that will be flagged off by West Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi from the Raj Bhavan lawns on Thursday.

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