Of two more radar stations for coastal surveillance coming up on the Karnataka coast the station at Belekeri in Uttara Kannada is ready. It will take some more time for another station to be ready at Kundapur in Udupi district, according to Deputy Inspector General P. K. Mishra, Karnataka Commander of the Indian Coast Guard.

In an informal chat with press persons at the Karnataka headquarters of the Indian Coast Guard here on Saturday on the sidelines of an interactive meeting the Coast Guard organised with fishermen, Mr. Mishra said that the State’s coast had radar stations in operation at Surathkal and Bhatkal. When two more stations are commissioned the entire 170 nautical miles (about 315 km) long Karnataka coast will come under radar surveillance.

Each radar station has 30 nautical miles (about 55 km) coverage on each side (totally 60 nautical miles). “When four radar stations are in operation the entire Karnataka coast will come under coastal surveillance network. We will be able to monitor the activities 30 nautical miles into the sea with the help of radar,” Mr. Mishra said.

Each radar station has a camera using the same coast guard personnel can directly see the activities in sea up to seven nautical miles.

Mr. Mishra said that installing Automatic Identification System (AIS) in fishing boats helped in the precise tracking of such boats while in sea. But the AIS required power support to be active. “Since it is a state subject states will have to take a call on ensuring AIS in fishing boats,” he said.