This Article is From Mar 07, 2012

Coastal police stations to be equipped for rescue work: Cheif Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government will take immediate steps to improve facilities at eight coastalpolice stations in the state by equipping them for rescue operations, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said.

"Three retired personnel from the Navy or Coast Guard will be posted in each coastal station. They will include boatdrivers and those skilled in rescue work," he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

Besides these, four experienced local fishermen would be appointed in all coastal stations to help in rescue work. Allthese appointments would soon be made directly by police on contract basis.

The Centre has already sanctioned an additional 10 coastal police stations for the state and the Additional ChiefSecretary (Home) and DGP have been asked to prepare details for setting up the stations at the earliest.

They have also been directed to examine the proposal for enhancing communication system for fishermen at sea and submita report, the Chief Minister said.

Chandy said families of the three fishermen who died in the ship-boat collision at sea off Alappuzha coast would begiven Rs five lakh each. The search for the other two missing fishermen is still on and the Navy had been asked to intensifytheir operations.

The Cabinet also decided to provide Rs two lakh each for the kin of five Malayalees killed in a road accident in Oman,he said.
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