Coastal Security Group has ‘reduced’ to a rescue team

Despite several investigation agencies confirming reports that gold was being smuggled into India through the TN coast, the CSG had not detected a single case. Except for rescuing stranded fishermen, CSG doesn’t do anything to prevent smuggling operations. Highly placed sources in the state police told DT Next that CSG men are idling away, with no drills or training. 

They claimed that the group had absolutely no work to do. The intelligence network that the group claimed to have established through the village intelligence committees in fishing hamlets does not exist. Sources said that there is no communication between CSG and other police departments and most of the facilities created for the group are in a dilapidated state. 

The government also does not want CSG to be active and leaves most of the coastal security work to the Coast Guard. The original idea, during the inception of the force was that it would coordinate with more than 440 coastal village vigilance committees and also with local police, Fisheries Department, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Customs apart from the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. Coast Guard sources told DT Next that the communication between CSG has been minimal in recent years. 

“The present head of the CGS wanted to bring about change but was bogged down by the government. He wanted to revamp the force with more practical inputs but doesn’t have the government backing. Some of his predecessors had already ruined the CSG beyond salvation. The post is reserved for ‘unwanted’ officials,” a senior police official attached to the state police said.

More than 200 police personnel are posted in the 12 marine police stations in Tamil Nadu. Most of the CSG are not properly trained.  Except for the training that they got from the Coast Guard during the initial years, they received no additional training. 

“There are 108 check posts manned by the CSG and untrained personnel from the armed police wing of each district. Apart from routine vehicle checks, they don’t do anything significant. The boats and infrastructure built for CSG are in shambles,” another official added. 

People were reminded about the existence of CSG during the floods that ravaged the city last year. The CSG men were very active in the rescue operation with ADGP C Shylendra Babu leading the operation. However, the group is not carrying out the task that it was meant to do, sources added.