New Delhi, July 15
After spending crores and holding numerous high-level meetings on coastal security post-November 2008 Mumbai attacks, it now turns out that 190-odd small ports and a string of disused ports along the coastline have no security apparatus worth a mention.

All these 190-odd small ports are operational and 45 even meet international port and shipping standards, making it easy for large ships to berth. Separately, the list of disused ports runs into hundreds; these are more like landing ports near small hamlets that dot the 7,500-km coast.

The slew of security agencies that monitor the coast and intelligence gathering agencies have raised an alarm. In turn, the government has now asked a leading central intelligence agency to conduct “a security audit” of ports and suggest ways and means to plug the gaps, sources confirmed to The Tribune. This is a huge gap, especially in view of the high-priority given to coastal security following the Mumbai attacks, said a senior functionary.

Of the 190-odd ports, some are close to sensitive strategic installations. Under the scanner of central agencies are ports in Tarapore, Bandra, Panvel, Versova and Trombay besides 48 others in Maharashtra and Okha, Porbandar and Bharuch among others in Gujarat. Other such ports are on the sparsely populated Andaman Nicobar Islands and are frequently used by leisure boats and catamarans, raising the risk of terrorist organisations eyeing them. These include ports near Havelock, Diglipur, Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay among others.

The matter of how these ports were not under “security review” of intelligence agencies has been raised in coastal security meetings in the past year. Officials said “…there was an urgent need to plug the gaps”. The government wants “prioritisation of these ports and evolution of a security plan” for which data is being collected from various ministries as diverse as shipping, finance, home affairs and also the states concerned.

These small ports are not the same as those classified as “major ports” and “minor ports” where trade is conducted under a strict watch on land and sea. They fall under the purview of respective maritime boards of states.

Despite persuasion from the Centre, only Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have set up maritime boards, supposed to function as controlling authorities. The Indian Navy, overall in-charge of coastal security, has to clear security plans but sources said no security plan has been cleared. At some ports, movement is easy and free.

The coastline is also dotted with “landing ports” that are “watched” by the Customs and Excise Department. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence observes these unauthorised landing areas. These pose an even bigger risk due to an increased threat of smuggling of drugs, foreign currency, arms and explosives, especially since the growing nexus between smugglers and anti-national elements is well known.