Mangaluru : The district administration is taking steps to fine tune the security arrangements in Sagar Kavach consultation with the Coast Guard and the police.

At a meeting of district officials and representatives of public sector undertakings at the office of the Deputy Commissioner here on Thursday, Coast Guard Deputy Inspector-General K.R. Suresh said that the Sagar Kavach exercise held on April 22 and 23 to check the preparedness for possible terrorist attack through sea route had shown slip-ups in security arrangements at public places, places of worship and other vital installations.

Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said that the Chief Secretary has taken a serious view of these shortcomings and had directed the district administration to fine tune the security arrangements.

“We will soon work out steps in consultation with the police and also bring out standard operating procedures that need to be followed by managements of these vital places. It will be placed before the Chief Secretary,” Mr. Ibrahim told presspersons. Mr. Suresh said that the Coast Guard was working out standard operating procedures for vital installations.

Mr. Suresh said that there were several porous points along the 370 km-long Karnataka coastline between Majali in Uttara Kannada district and Talapady in Dakshnia Kannada district. The coastline comprised 17 islands, landing points, river mouths, fishing harbours and beaches. “We need to have a better mechanism of identifying intruders and taking follow-up action,” he said. Mr. Suresh said that officials of the districts neighbouring the coastal districts should be sensitised of the steps necessary to check possible intrusion of terrorists to their areas.

Mr. Ibrahim said that with the presence of vital installations, Mangaluru would be a soft target for anti-national elements. All stakeholders should take steps to have a fool-proof security system. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjeev M. Patil said that managements of places of worship should take steps to screen each and every person entering their premises.

There should be constant monitoring of vehicle parking places at the hospitals, railway stations and bus terminals. People should inform police of suspicious movement of persons in their areas, he added.