Tamil Nadu on Sunday asked the Centre to prioritise the mega city policing project to safeguard metros like Chennai against possible terror threats.Cautioning the Centre about the inordinate delay in implementing it, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday said while detailed proposals were sent, funding has not yet materialised. The issue needs urgent attention of the Centre, he said in his speech read out at the chief ministers’ conference on internal security in Delhi by Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin.“With progressive industrialisation, places like Chennai and the suburbs may have become potential terror targets. But the mega city project has not progressed as anticipated,” Karunanidhi rued.
In response, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said mega city policing was high on the Centre’s agenda.
“We are examining a scheme that will cover the seven metropolitan cities and some other cities. A DPR for the seven metropolitan cities at an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore is under preparation,” he said.
The CM’s other demands included assistance in funding manpower for coastal management and raising and maintenance of Quick Reaction Teams to thwart any future terror attempts, help in training State police officials in intelligence gathering and counterterrorism, giving them international policing experience and better exchange of information and co-ordinated action between the various Central and State agencies.
Puducherry CM seeks police training institute
Chief Mnister V Vaithilingam urged the Centre to sanction setting up of a police training institute in Puducherry. He was speaking at the Internal Security meeting of Chief ministers and Home Ministers in New Delhi on Sunday.
A Subsidiary Multi Agency Centre Control Room is being established on a priority basis for having responsive system for improved collection, analysis and dissemination of intelligence through proper coordination among related agencies, he said. A revised proposal for creation of 219 posts for restructuring the administration and field level functioning has been sent to the Centre for approval, he added.
Further the CM urged the Ministry of Home Affairs for creation of 1,688 posts for the other wings as Puducherry is emerging as a tourist hub and investment destination.
