Lax security at MPT matter of concern

Lax security at MPT matter of concern

Preetu Nair, TNN

PANAJI: Should terrorists decide to exploit lax container security at ports to smuggle in bombs or WMDs, as warned by Navy chief Admiral Sureesh
Mehta on Wednesday, Mormugao port would be an easy entry point.

Not only are the checks on container cargo leaving Mormugao Port Trust inadequate, but goods are inspected only manually by the customs. Further, if one is a “known” importer, then the 5% selection process is followed, wherein only 5% of the goods are randomly checked.

Add to this the fact that the port has neither a bomb disposal squad nor a dog squad, no facility to scan cargo or CCTV’s to record the movement of people, even though there are allegations by port authorities that Pakistani seamen employed on international merchant ships are being illegally ferried by fishing trawlers and boats to the shore. General cargo berths 10 and 11 are close to Kharewada fishing jetty.

Admitting that the threat was real and the current security measures inadequate, port authorities and custom officials said they planned to plug the gaps and instal CCTVs at vital points, besides utilizing other equipment like radio frequency identification device for vehicles and bio-metric scan system for identification of personnel.

Mormugao port, which has lax security measures, handles about 15,000 containers a year. Only one feeder vessel arrives every eight days from Colombo, Sri Lanka. This is significant, as post the Mumbai attack, an intelligence input to states on the western coast raised concerns about Colombo’s links with the LeT and suspicion that “some boats from Colombo carrying explosives and arms” may land at Mangalore.

“After 9/11, the US has taken stringent steps to ensure proper security at its ports. But despite several instances of known landings of men and machinery in India we have not taken sufficient measures,” said officials.

“Security of the port is our responsibility. As far as container cargo is concerned, checking is done by the customs, not us. They have installed mobile and fixed scanners at other ports and with time, once there is sufficient container traffic, they will install a scanner here too,” said MPT chairman Praveen Agarwal.

“Despite our best efforts, it would be intelligence inputs and installation of container scanners and other equipment that would play a crucial role in thwarting any untoward act,” said Amit Kamat, president, Goa Custom House Agents Association.

A senior custom official said that it would be difficult to check each and every container and that the installation of a scanner may not really help. “Weapons can broken up and the components dispatched separately. The only possibility of identification being that of the core material which is possible with specialized equipment like Geiger counters usually used to detect gamma and beta radiation,” he said.

“Industry expects the customs department to clear the goods in a speedy manner. There is continuous demand to reduce the transaction time. Though enhancing security measures is now unavoidable, it will obviously increase the transaction time,” said Kamat. Clearance of goods at present takes about 48 hours.

On an average 100 to 140 containers containing machines, raw materials, HDPE granules used for making plastic, electronic components, cables, medical instruments and other raw materials are imported to Goa every eight days in the feeder vessel.

Once an importer of container cargo pays the duty, it is inspected by the customs, the contents opened and physically checked to verify the description, nature, quantity and weight. About 15 to 20 minutes is devoted to checking the container, said sources. But just 5% of a known importer’s cargo is checked at random to enable speedy clearance. “However, this depends on the nature of commodity, type of importer (manufacturer or exporter) and specific intelligence inputs. But if they are traders, then they check 100%,” said sources.


21 Feb 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition