Patrolling intensified to curb increased poaching activities: C-in-C
THE DAILY TELEGRAMS, June 15, 2006

Port Blair, June 14
Patrolling by Naval and Coast Guard vessels and air surveillance
activities have been intensified in the Andaman waters, following increased
poaching activities in different pockets in these islands in the recent
months. As a sequel to this trend, the number of poachers apprehended by the
Command vessels has also been on the rise, said the Commander-in-Chief, A&N
Command, Vice Admiral Arun Kumar Singh said here today.
Addressing a press conference at the Command Headquarters, Vice Admiral
Singh said that the poaching activities in Andaman waters which had
diminished substantially after the earthquake-triggered tsunami of 26th
December 2004, have again shown an upward trend. Rising to the occasion, the
ANC has also intensified patrolling by sea and air resulting in increased
number of apprehensions.
The C-in-C said that apart form 36 inhabited islands, remaining 536
uninhabited islands have also been included for surveillance to search for
any illegal inhabitation by foreign poachers. Only 15 of these islands have
police posts. Miniscule presence of 2270 domestic fishing boats that operate
in the Andaman Sea constituting 30% on India's total Exclusive Economic
Zone, he said, provides ample opportunity for the foreign poachers to
operate undetected. As compared to the western and the eastern coasts of the
Indian mainland, a negligible number of fishing boats operate in the Andaman
Sea, he said.
Vice Admiral Singh said that the defence forces in the islands continue to
work in tandem with the civil administration in different fields i.e.
Medical emergencies, disaster management, apprehension of poachers etc. He
made a special mention of the GB Pant Hospital and said, "there is excellent
tie-up with the GB Pant Hospital and INHS Dhanvantari", which is maintained
in the greater interest of the suffering patients.
Turning his attention to the post-tsunami situation in Andaman and Nicobar
islands, the Commander-in-Chief said that these islands fall in zone V of
the seismic belt and that makes them one of the most vulnerable places on
earth. More that 400 temblors of less than 5 on the Richter scale have hit
the islands since the day of tsunami in 2004. The ANC is keeping a vigil
here in the wake of the situation in the neighbouring Indonesia where the
erupting volcano caused an earthquake killing thousands. A constant watch,
he said, is being kept on Barren Island volcano, subcontinent's lone active
volcano. Barren eruption seems to have increased a little ever since May 28,
2006, he observed.