Bunkers planned on Goa beaches

Bunkers planned on Goa beaches
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Armed police personnel at key beaches and bunkers from which to keep a watch on suspicious movement from the sea are part of the security measures the Goa police are putting in place.
“Bunkers of over five feet height will be constructed at strategically important beaches and armed policemen will be deployed with wireless and binoculars,” said a senior police official.
From the bunkers police will be able to track movement from the sea and reduce the possibility of terrorists infiltrating through this route. Goa has a 105-km-long coastline, with a major sea port and famous beaches.
“As we have a long coastline, we need to be careful and after the recent terror attacks, we need to tighten security on the beaches,” sources said. The bunkers are planned at Utorda, Majorda, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Cavelossim and Mobor in South Goa, and Anjuna, Calangute and Dona Paula in north Goa. The North and South district SPs visited the beaches on Tuesday and selected the sites for the bunkers. Besides, the wireless and automatic weapons, once bullet proof jackets and protective head gear have been procured, the cops on duty there would be armoured with the same. At the moment there are about 30 outdated bullet proof jackets and no protective head gear with the police, sources added.
Cops can’t be everywhere, says Kamat
Margao: Chief minister Digambar Kamat, who toured South Goa coastal areas on Tuesday, said he was quite comfortable and satisfied with the security arrangements made. He also discussed security measures with hotels in the area, involving them in making security arrangements. “You cannot expect the police to be deployed everywhere,” the CM said.
Kamat, however, said that the proposed CCTVs on beaches was not feasible, but maintained that the security system in place was quite good. He also allayed fears of possible attacks from al-Qaeda and said precautions were being taken after the Mumbai attack as the government was not leaving anything to chance. TNN P 2 Fishermen alerted along coastal belt
Panaji: Goa police will be putting up bunkers of over five feet height at key beaches in the state to keep a close watch on any suspicious movement.
With hardly any reserve force available in the state, the police plans to post at least two armed policemen at the bunkers. Besides, there would be regular patrolling on the beaches and the Quick Response Teams (QRT) have been deployed to sensitive beaches. The government has brought in the navy, coast guard and coastal police to man the sea coast. While the navy is keeping vigil in the deep seas, the coast guard is checking on activities closer to shore and the coastal police is patrolling waters within five kms of land, with the help of boats borrowed from the customs and fisheries departments.
The police is also meeting fishermen and trawler owners to apprise them of the terror scenario in the country and asking them to be alert along the coast. The police have also asked water sports operators to stop activities by sunset.

December 10, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition