Monday, December 1, 2008

NSG for Karnataka


BANGALORE December 3, 2008: An all-party delegation led by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday called upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Raj Bhavan in the city and has demanded stationing of a unit of National Security Guards (NSG) in Bangalore and two helicopters with day and night operational capability to help the government in surveillance and emergency rescue operations.
Dr. Singh visited the city to participate in the centenary celebrations of Indian Institute of Science.
The delegation comprised Home Minister V S Acharya, former Congress Chief Minister Dharam Singh and leaders of the opposition in both houses of State legislature Mallikarjuna Kharge and V S Ugrappa and other senior officials. The delegation urged Dr. Singh to sanction one unit of NSG to be stationed in the city immediately. The State has many vital installations, major IT companies and MNCs wherein matters related to the country’s security and economy are dealt with. Institutions like HAL, ISRO, IISc, Infosys Technologies Limited, Wipro and other important establishments are based in Bangalore, the Chief Minister said. Providing safety and security to these vital organisations and the people working in these establishments is extremely important, the chief minister said and demanded the UPA government at the Centre to extend support to the state to enhance internal security.
Later speaking to presspersons here the State Secretariat, Dr Acharya said the Prime Minister gave a sympathetic hearing and advised the state to take up the issue with the newly appointed union home minister P Chidamabaram. The Prime Minister has promised to discuss the issues raised by the state with Mr Chidambaram, Dr. Acharya said.
Karnataka has urged the Centre to sanction three Indian Reserve Batallions and an Indo Tibetan Border Police batallion at Belgaum along with sanctioning of well-equipped 18 coastal check-posts and 33 outposts on the West Coast of Karnataka. It also sought of Rs 20 crore for providing GPS facility to the 3,000 mechanised fishing boats and related infrastructure all along the coastline in the state.
BJP National General Secretary Ananth Kumar, MP, Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao and DGP Srikumar were part of the delegation which called on the Prime Minister.


A private security guard at the Hospital Gate at Haifa, Israel.

Israel has experienced terror attacks in all forms, including suicide bombers posing as patients in ambulances!
750-strong special force to fight terror
The fully trained professional group will tackle all anti-national activities
Men selected for the special force will be given a one-step promotion
The selection process has commenced
Bangalore: Following the Mumbai terror attacks, the Karnataka Policeare geared up to constitute a 750-strong comprehensive police wing totackle all aspects of anti-national activities including terrorism andnaxalism .The special unit, which is stated to have received formal approvalfrom Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Minister for Home V.S.Acharya, will have various components, including a section devoted tointelligence gathering and preventive measures, a large strike forceand a section to investigate the cases. It will be a fully trained andprofessional force, and the State Government has also approved ascheme to put the strike force segment of the special wing throughtraining in some of the Defence establishments. Karnataka already hasa special commando force trained by the National Security Guards. Thesources in the Government indicated that the men selected for thespecial force would be given a one-step promotion straightway to serveas an incentive. A similar incentive has been provided by theGovernment of Gujarat. The incentive would, however, be applicable aslong as the men remained part of the force, and on repatriation totheir parent unit "they will be back in the same position". Theselection process had commenced, they added.A high-level team headed by the Home Minister and comprising amongothers Director-General and Inspector-General of Police R. Srikumar;Director-General of Police, Corps of Detectives, Ajai Kumar Singh;Joint Commissioner of Police, Bangalore, Gopal Hosur; andSuperintendent of Police, Chitradurga district, Labhu Ram, recentlyvisited Gujarat to study the practices in policing there. The Statehas also planned to send high-level police teams to Jammu and Kashmir,Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi and other States for a study.


Security stepped up in Bangalore


Need for private security agencies to cover hospitals/ hotels/ IT establishments


Indian Express News: At the Hard Rock Cafe in Bangalore there was not much difference between the night of November 26 when the Mumbai attacks began and through the nights that the battle raged. A steady stream of patrons, both Indian and foreigner, walked through the doors during the siege in Mumbai. The only difference — there were no security checks at the entrance to any of the places before November 26.
Mumbai attacks have brought the issue of security into focus. A brief period of hyperactivity had followed the July 25 serial blasts that had killed one person but the security situation in the region had largely remained unchanged.
Security at hotels and public places like malls, shopping arcades and hospitals has now been increased following a review issued by the state intelligence and city police commissioner Shankar Bidari. The entry of vehicles at five star hotels and hospitals is now preceded by security checks. Hospitals have now started restricting visitors calling on patients.


Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and senior police officials recently held meetings with the management of hotels, international airport and industry representatives to assess the security situation.
IT hubs like the Electronic City, the International Technology Park and companies like Infosys and Wipro have announced increased surveillance for their campuses. “In view of the attacks in Mumbai, we have increased security across all our campuses in India and will remain fully alert,” Infosys said in an official statement. Nasscom in a statement following the attacks said member companies of the software establishment association must “continue to ensure that their customers are not affected.”
With foreigners being targeted in the Mumbai attack those living in Bangalore have expressed apprehensions about their safety. “Back home, India is considered relatively safe compared to Pakistan. Attacks like these will have an affect on people’s perception,” Christopher Bryan, an American medical intern working here, said.
Mumbai attacks have also jolted the police establishment out of slumber. A blueprint for an anti-terrorism unit modeled on similar cells in Mumbai and New Delhi created soon after the July 25 blasts has been brought out again. Home Minister V S Acharya has stated that the special team will soon be expanded to include more personnel. At present, the team has an ADGP, an IGP and an SP.

8 comments:

Shrinidhi Hande said...

Use the services of our own Daya Nayak in these forces. I am sure he is the right and capable man to lead such an operation

Santy said...

Good to know that security has been stepped up in Bangalore.

I am a regular reader of your blog since from the day 1 you started writing blog.But since from one/two weeks i was not reading your blog as your blog always talks about Udupi,Mangalore! ..Please try to expand your thinking out of mangalore or udupi and give us all the updates if you feel that it can be shared.


I agree that security is a first factor to think by considering the safety of citizens.
By only increasing security by giving armed forces doesn't help,also one have to think of increasing their intelligence strength also.

The above expressed comments are my personal feelings.

Thanks..

Anonymous said...

Santhosh - he is also district in-charge minister for Udupi. What is wrong if those are published.

And what makes you think he is Udupi/Mangalore centric? In a sensitive ministry like Home Ministry, not all actions or meetings attended by minister need to be published in my opinion.

At times it is better us normal public do not get too much info on sensitive issues as that can be used by bad guys too.

Unknown said...

Hope the Bangalore Police is trained and provided with at least 3 choppers. This will help them reaching the spot within the minimum time available. Being the city with most prestigious establishments, it is my humble request that the state administration is never at a defensive end.

Unknown said...

I would like to add one more point. The sensitive areas like Dams and other structures which eventhough located at remote areas can cause severe damage, if they are attacked by the terrorists. Hence it is requested that adequate policing with necessary communication and arms be provided.
The police force which are on critical assignments be given duties in rotation so that no one remains in the same duty for more than say six months or so. Many a time this has created complacency out of overconfidence

Thank you
ds

Santy said...

Suresh - I Strongly agree with your point,but also would like to tell you that by increasing or by adding armed forces does not help.Karnataka needs very strong intelligence forces which should be able to provide correct information as soon as possible and very important is the follower.
Thats what happened in mumbai: as per my understanding from the news channel that US govt and intelligences sources are already have warned about through sea attacks to mumbai.But somewhere officials/cost guards cannot catch them.

So,taking an action on the provided information also plays an very important role and saves many innocent lives.
I would like to also tell you that not only Bangalore police would be well trained.All the police officers should be well trained whoever comes in tier I and II cities.so that system can be used effectively.


Tony Shirva- I hope the point you made is correct and i apologise for that.But to be honest,at one point of time i may have forgot/not be knowing that V.S.A is an district in-charge minister


Thanks...

Anonymous said...

Dear Sri Acharya,

Glad to hear of the security initiatives. Can we build and use a Total Defence Strategy similar to what is described in these URLs?
http://www.totaldefence.sg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Defence

We may tweak this Total Defence to suit our needs that fulfills the constitution of Bharat and uses existing security infrastructure of Karnataka.

The need is to involve civil, military, economy of state, the society and the psychology of citizens in Total Defence against terrorists.

I have experienced this Total Defence in action. Being a Kannada Bharatiya, I loved this and would like to see this used in our state for effectiveness.

Please consider this Total Defence Strategy in your security policy.

Vande Maataram; Jai Karnataka.

Unknown said...

Hi santhosh

The administration also have the option of providing surveillance cameras at all busy centres within the state,which can be monitored from the central control room. To start with Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore cities can be provided with such systems.