2nd Coast Guard station in AP soon

The Indian Coast Guard has decided to set up its second station in Andhra Pradesh at Kakinada soon. "At present, we have one Coast Guard station at Visakhapatnam.

Apart from brisk fishing activity, ONGC and other private companies' drilling works are increasing in Kakinada area. So, the Coast Guard has decided to set up a permanent station with some patrol vessels to safeguard their installations.

The government is going to spend crores of rupees on the new station over the next five years," said UN Chitnavis, the commander of Coast Guard Region (East).

"We have taken up anti-poaching, search and rescue, maritime environmental protection and repatriation operations along the Indian coast. At present, the Indian Coast Guard has four patrol vessels and one helicopter in the state. We are waiting for a few more vessels for the Andhra Pradesh operations," he added.