The Hindu Business Line : High-powered panel reviewing security at major ports

Kolkata May 15 The Union Government has constituted a high-powered committee to review security arrangements in major ports and shipyards and make necessary recommendations within a month or so.

The five-member committee is headed by Mr N. Ramachandran, Chairman of Cochin Port Trust; the other members being the Deputy Chairmen of three other ports - Paradip, JNPT and Chennai, and the Chief of Security of Mumbai Port Trust.

The committee has already visited the ports of Chennai and Ennore and is currently visiting Kolkata port (including Haldia) to review the security arrangements.

Asked what was the need for a fresh review of the security arrangements when all major ports had already complied with the ISPS (International Ship & Port Security) Code, Mr Ramachandran replied that while enforcement of the ISPS Code had already helped achieve substantial standardisation in port security measures, there is still room for further improvement in matter of physical security and access control as each port had its certain unique features. These issues would become more and more important with the growth in traffic, particularly containerised traffic, he said.

He said port security, if viewed in the context of overall national security, would remain high on the agenda in most countries. Maritime security has become critical from the point of view of national security, not only in India but also in many other countries. For example, the port and maritime security had been integrated with the overall homeland security programme in the US.

The issue of funding was no less important because any additional security measure would mean additional cost. The ports, it was felt, should not be made to bear this additional cost and, more important, the burden of the cost should not be passed on to the users.

Mr Ramachandran was not sure if the findings of the committee could be firmed up within the stipulated one month. "We may take a little more time as we have to visit all the ports and several shipyards, assess the situations there and come to a conclusion," he said.