Karavali Niyantran Dal: 'Eyes and ears' of Karnataka's coastline

Mangaluru: "It is a proud feeling to serve as eyes and ears for coastal security police (CSP)," emphasises Pushpa, the lone woman member of Karavali Niyantran Dal (KND).

Dinesh, a fisherman with 30 years of fishing experience, leads a double life collecting grass-root intelligence as member of KND for CSP.

"I can identify whether the boat is purse seine or a trawler from a distance of two kilometers at deep sea," stockily built Dinesh declares with pride.

Superintendent of Police (SP), Coastal Security Police (CSP) Mithun H N said KND with members drawn from Home Guards had received extension upto March 2027.

The state government had launched KND, a few months prior to 2008 Mumbai terror attack, with an objective to tap indigenous knowledge of local fishing communities and plug gaps in the coastal security planning (post Mumbai attack, CSP was redefined to work under Internal Security Division).

"Presently 200 fishermen serving in KND had been deployed at 115 fish landing points in 101 coastal villages," Mithun told DH.

KND members, attached to nine Coastal Security Police stations (along the 320 km coastline from Mangaluru to Karwar), should be well-versed in swimming, life saving (trained to perform CPR, first aid) and sea-faring, informs KND's senior-most member Dinesh.

KND members have to gather information about illegal movement of boats, Bangladesh nationals without passports, strangers who have moved into the locality and share it with CSP, he said.

"We are treated like CSP personnel. Besides a honorarium of Rs 600 per day, we also get T shirts, Identity cards, raincoats, attend weekly meeting at police stations and even join parades," informs Dinesh puffing his chest with pride.

Dinesh, Raghavendra Naik and in recent times Ashok had rescued tourists drowning in the sea. "We also create awareness on security in community and motivate patriotic youth to enroll in KND," says Dinesh.

KND members manning fish landing points are likely to be aided by technology soon. Deputy Director of Fisheries, Mangaluru Fishing Harbour Revathi told DH that tenders for installing CCtvs at all fish landing points at a total cost of Rs 37.5 cr under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was in final stages. All landing points will have CCtvs in a phased manner, she added.

Coastal Security Police completes 25 years

* CSP was launched in January 1999 with a jurisdiction upto 12 nautical miles and 500 mts of CRZ (Coastal regulation zone)

* CSP in the past 25 years had registered 566 cases

* 44 vacant posts including posts of captains for CSP's Inteceptor boats is being filled up.

* KND and CSP take part in `Sagar Kavach', to enhance preparedness against any threats from the sea.