NHRC seeks Report form Indian Coast Guard and Odisha Government.

Bhubaneswar, Oct 31: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report from Indian Coast Gurad and Odisha Government over discontinuation of sea patrolling in the coast of Bay of Bengal at Puri.

Acting on a petition filed by social activist Akhand of Civil Society Forum on Human Rights (CSFHR), a Bhubaneswar  based rights organization; the Commission has directed the Director General of Indian Coast Guard based at Delhi and Chief Secretary of Odisha to file a report within four weeks.

Marine police, marine fisheries and forest departments with Indian Coastguard, had initiated sea patrolling near the city after a group of terrorists launched an attack on Mumbai in 2008. The sea patrolling was, however, discontinued from third week of September.

Thousands of trawlers and mechanized boats, including many from neighboring states and a few even from Bangladesh, regularly undertake fishing activities near the coast of the Puri city. On occasions, trawlers from neighboring states and also those from Bangladesh enter within two-three kilometers off the city coast in violation of a state government order, which prohibits the fishing of other state or country trawlers within five kilometers off the coast, the petition said.

“Although there were intelligence reports regarding possible threat to the Jagannath temple from a few terrorist groups, the sea patrolling is stopped without any valid reason endangering the security of the nation”, alleged Akhand.

He prayed before the apex rights panel to issue an order to state government and Indian Coast Guard to make full fledged arrangement for sea patrolling.