| Home
Porbandar Coast Guard air station becomes operational
Calcutta News.Net
Thursday 12th June, 2008 (IANS)
Ahmedabad, June 12(IANS) Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju Thursday commissioned a Coast Guard Air Enclave (CGAE) at Porbandar on the Gujarat coast to increase surveillance in India's exclusive economic zone in the Gulf of Kutch area.
The air enclave will operate one Dornier fixed-wing aircraft and one Chetak helicopter that would also ensure prompt air-sea coordinated patrols, search and rescue and medical evacuation missions by the Indian Coast Guard in the Gulf of Kutch region as well as in the waters adjoining the coastal state of Gujarat.
Till now, the air squadrons of the Coast Guard were flown from Daman, which took long flying time and caused high consumption of precious fuel.
The significance of Porbandar lies in the fact that it is only 88 miles from Karachi and is located near the Reliance refinery at Jamnagar and Essar's Vadinar refinery.
Beginning in 1982 with the induction of two Chetak helicopters for ship-borne operations, the aviation assets of the Indian Coast Guard have reasonably grown both in terms of number of airplanes, helicopters, operating bases as well as sophisticated sensors.
Today, the Coast Guard Aviation with an inventory of 17 Chetak helicopters, 24 Dornier aircraft, four Dhruv advanced light helicopters has the capability to launch air efforts from the west to the far eastern maritime frontiers of the country. This would be further strengthened with the induction of multi-mission maritime aircraft in the near future as envisaged in the Coast Guard Plan.
The aviation arm of the Coast Guard undertakes coordinated operations in support of the surface assets towards protection of our the EEZ, extend assistance to fishermen and mariners in distress, preserving and protecting the marine environment and assisting the local authorities during natural calamities.
'The Indian Coast Guard has a very vital role to play not only in the defence of the country but also in imparting meaning and depth to the country's development efforts by playing a positive role in guarding our maritime frontiers,' a defence ministry statement said.
 Email this story to a friend
Have your say on this story
|
 |
 |
- Missing Kashmiri youth found unconscious
Srinagar, July 4 (IANS) A 17-year-old boy was found in an unconscious state near his village in south Kashmir late Saturday, almost a week after he was arrested by the army. [read story]
- Orissa legislator, accused in communal violence, gets bail
Bhubaneswar, July 4 (IANS) Manoj Pradhan, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator who is an accused in last year's communal violence in Orissa and has been in jail since October, got 15-day bail Saturday to take oath as member of the assembly. [read story]
- Only a Dalit will be my successor: Mayawati
Lucknow, July 4 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national general secretary Satish Misra may continue to remain her confidant, but Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has no intentions of letting him don the mantle of her successor as she Saturday said only a Dalit will succeed her. [read story]
- New swine flu case takes India's tally to 129
New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) A Thai national was found suffering from swine flu, taking the total number of influenza A (H1N1) cases in India to 129, said an official statement Saturday. [read story]
- Jeddah-Mumbai flight tyres burst on landing, passengers safe
Mumbai, July 4 (IANS) Passengers aboard a Saudia airliner on a Jeddah-Mumbai flight had a scare when its tyres burst during landing at Mumbai airport Saturday evening, an official said. [read story]
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
