Mangaluru: Coast Guard, Karnataka, has planned to expand its activities and engage with stakeholders for enhancing working relations with all the concerned, said Deputy Inspector-General S.S. Dasila, Commander, Coast Guard District Headquarters 3 (Karnataka), here.

He was interacting with media during “A Day at Sea” event organised for presspersons onboard a Hovercraft on Friday.

Mr. Dasila said that better coordination during emergencies could be achieved through such engagements with stakeholders when every government agency is keen on working in coordination during peace time as well as crisis.

He noted that Karnataka Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Subhash Chandra had recently mooted the idea of observing Coastal Security Awareness Week. Coast Guard, Karnataka, has planned a host of activities from January 24 accordingly, coinciding with the Raising Day of the force to be observed on February 1. The week-long activities are aimed at having interactions with stakeholders — civilians as well as bureaucrats, he said.

Besides engaging with stakeholders, the Coast Guard would permit them to access its assets, including ships and air cushion vehicles (Hovercraft) attached to the district headquarters.

Mr. Dasila said that probationary officers from Customs Department and Karnataka Coastal Security Police have spent time onboard these vessels understanding the working of the Coast Guard.

To create more awareness about its role and attract the next generation to the defence sector, the Coast Guard has taken students from government PU and degree colleges onboard offshore patrol vessel ICGS Shoor recently.

Coast Guard officers would hoist the National Flag at chosen schools and colleges on the Republic Day, while special attention would be given for engaging girl students in colleges. Activities, including blood donation camps, bicycle rallies, visit to Coast Guard headquarters, etc., could engage the youth with the force in big numbers.

Similar “Day at Sea” events would be organised for Union and State government officials shortly, Mr. Dasila said and added such exercises would help build good rapport with each other. He noted that district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi trusted his suggestion to keep tourists off beaches during the last monsoon to save valuable life. He said that Coast Guard intends to remain true to its motto: “We Protect”. He added that the force has, since inception, saved 7,890 lives and arrested 13,161 offenders.