Mumbai, Dec 02: Maintaining the commitment to protect
marine heritage and biodiversity, Vice-Admiral Suresh Mehta,
Director General, Indian Coast Guard today said the force
would cooperate with the marine life conservationists to
protect the marine biodiversity from all kinds of threat.
Speaking at a function at Bombay Natural History Society
(BNHS), he said without compromising the law of the land and
sea, Coast Guard will work closely with natural scientists to
safeguard the marine life which is also part of the national
security.
Maritime dimension has added a greater responsibility to
Coast Guard, he said, adding "we have taken up with the
government to bring in legislation for sea unworthy ships
which pose a major pollution hazard of sea water".
Coast Guard has been working on various conservation
projects including that of "operation olive" in saving sea
turtles for over last 22 years, he said and added that the
suggestions made for the Orissa coast and Andaman and Nicobar
islands would be immediately implemented.
"As recommended, we will have smaller vessels on the
Orissa coast," he said.
The scientists had asked the Coast Guard to use smaller
vessels near the coast instead of big vessels along the Orissa
coast to be eco-friendly with turtles and help in saving coral
reefs (which forms one the largest reefs in the world) in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Bureau Report
