Kolkata, Jan 31 (IANS) Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Amrit Kaur participated in a cleanup drive of the Haldia Riverfront in West Bengal on Friday as part of the Force's 49th Raising Day celebrations. The Indian Coast Guard was raised on February 1, 1977, with seven surface platforms.
According to a senior ICG official, 100 personnel were part of the day's cleanup drive in which over 200 kg of garbage was collected.
The Coast Guard station at Haldia is under the Kolkata-based North East Region Headquarters.
This regional headquarters is also in charge of the Coast Guard station in Paradip, Odisha.
"Friday's cleanup drive was special as it was carried out on the eve of our Raising Day. We also spread awareness about the importance to keep our riverfronts, coastlines, rivers and seas free of garbage, particularly plastic and other toxic waste that cause severe damage to marine life," the official said.
Apart from the stations at Haldia and Paradip, the ICG has a base at Fraserganj in West Bengal, close to the Sundarbans. An Air Cushion Vehicle, also known as a hovercraft is deployed there for quick deployment.
The regional headquarters also has two air enclaves at Kolkata and Bhubaneswar, the official said.
"Our ships and aircraft patrol the Bay of Bengal region up to the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) with Bangladesh on a regular basis. Not only do we protect our coastline from any infiltration attempt, our personnel are constantly on guard to prevent piracy, smuggling and poaching. At the same time, they perform yeomen service during adverse weather that is so common in this region. We guide fishermen out of danger and also carry out Search and Rescue operations in case of disasters," another official said.
He also spelt out how the ICG attends to ailing mariners on merchant vessels, moving them to shore-based medical facilities in time to save their lives. At the same time, the Force is the nodal agency to mitigate pollution of the sea due to spillage or other causes.
"Today, the ICG has 151 ships and 76 aircraft. By 2030, we will have 200 ships and 100 aircraft. We save a life at sea every second day," he added.
--IANS
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