CHENNAI: Coast Guard Director-General Paramesh Sivamani called on Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in Chennai on Tuesday and discussed coastal security, maritime safety and the welfare of fishermen.

The discussions on Tuesday also covered search and rescue (SAR) operations, prevention of illicit maritime activities, marine environmental conservation, and the welfare of Coast Guard veterans, according to a Defence Ministry release.

Sivamani emphasised the need to equip fishing vessels with distress alert transmitters and mandatory life-saving equipment to improve the chances of survival during maritime emergencies.

He also briefed the chief minister on the Coast Guard's recent search and rescue operations that helped save several lives, including those of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

He highlighted the force's proactive response during recent cyclones, which ensured that no lives were lost during the natural calamities, besides assistance provided to the State administration during such times.

The Coast Guard chief reiterated the force's commitment to maintaining a robust coastal security mechanism through coordination with the Tamil Nadu Police, Marine Police, Fisheries Department, and other State agencies.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the Coast Guard and the Tamil Nadu government to strengthen the protection of the fishing community and enhance maritime security along the State's coastline, added the press statement.