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Rameswaram: 24 coastal security patrol boats will be refurbished, says ADGP

ADGP Vanniya Perumal studies ground situation.

Rameswaram: Asserting that infiltration of foreigners into Tamil Nadu has been effectively stopped, the ADGP of Tamil Nadu Marine coastal security group police, Mr. Vanniya Perumal said that as many as 24 patrol boats belonging to its wing will be shortly refurbished at an estimated cost of Rs.3.50 crore.

The top police officer who was in Ramanathapuram on Thursday to review the coastal security situation in the wake of last Sunday's deadly multiple blasts in Sri Lanka said, that coastal surveillance and patrolling have been considerably strengthened in Tamil Nadu and there was no cause for worry of any infiltration of foreign or extremist elements. Smuggling of essential goods across the Palk straits has also been curbed, he said.

The coastal security marine police, in coordination with the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Customs and Forest department, have been continuously monitoring the coastal stretch day and night and keep an eagle's eye on any intrusion by foreign elements into Tamil Nadu soil, he explained.

The suspected IS extremists, who claimed responsibility for the Sri Lanka blasts, had not taken the sea route via Tamil Nadu in infiltrating into Sri Lanka, the officer said to a question.

Apart from reconditioning the 24 patrol boats of the marine security police, the Centre has also agreed to give 20-m long new patrol boats for additional patrolling along the Palk Straits, he said.

When newsmen sought further details on the dysfunctional patrol boats of the state marine police, Mr Vanniya Perumal said these boats had been purchased for the wing in 2009.

A private firm in Mumbai had been given the annual maintenance contract for these patrol boats.

But in the last few years as no decision was taken by the government on the contract (renewal), the maintenance of these boats had not been done properly. But now the maintenance works on these boats will resume, he added.

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