Maha to lease 6 boats from ONGC for coastal security

The Maharashtra government will take on lease six boats from state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to enhance surveillance and security in coastal areas, Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar said Monday.

The boats will be deployed in six districts to keep an eye also on other states' fishermen "encroaching" within 12 nautical miles of Maharashtra's coastline as fish found within this line was the property of the state, he told reporters here.

The boats, on which weapons can be installed, will be leased for a period of five years which can be extended by an equal number of years, he said.

"These modern boats will be inducted after monsoon. Weapons can be installed on them. The coastline always faces terror threats," Kesarkar told reporters.

"Also, fishing trawlers from other states encroach and take away our property. We can control intruding fishermen using these boats," he said, adding that their deployment would help the state's fishermen.