VASCO: Deputy inspector general of Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Goa Region, Manoj Baadkar, on Saturday, raised serious concern over the security lapse onboard the MT Greenwich Park, from where the two Moroccan stowaways managed to escape.
The stowaways were found loitering in the port town.
Baadkar, however, appreciated the efforts of the Mormugao and Vasco police in immediately nabbing the culprits within few hours, following the registration of missing complaint with the Mormugao police station.
He said that there could be a serious lapse on part of the security personnel (internal security) onboard the vessel, and the matter needs to be investigated by the top agencies.
He further said that the Goa police have done a great job by immediately apprehending the culprits.
It may be recalled that two stowaways Jaouad Elhili (29) and Abdelkabir Benbassidi (19) had escaped from the MT Greenwich Park vessel, which was anchored at berth no 11 of Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) late Wednesday night, but they were nabbed on Thursday morning by the Mormugao police while they were loitering in the vicinity of the Goa Shipyard Ltd.
They have been remanded to 5-day police custody by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Vasco, on Friday.
Speaking further, the deputy inspector general of Indian Coast Guard, Goa Region, said that the Indian Coast Guard has already taken initiative in co-ordination with Indian Navy, merchants and the fishing community for ‘Swachh Sagar’ on the lines of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.’
Baadkar was speaking to the media at the Bogmalo beach on Saturday on the occasion of the International Coastal Clean Up Day which saw participation by ICG personnel, their family members, and staff members of some reputed hotels like Bogmalo beach resort.
The ICG also had taken up similar cleanup drives at Miramar, Sinquirim, Mobor, Sernabatim and Cansaulim with the help rendered by the staff members of Goa Marriot, Taj Fort Aguada, The Leela Goa, Heritage Village Club and Baywatch Resort.
Baadkar said that the motto behind organising the beach cleaning drives throughout the state on the occasion of International Coastal Clean Up Day was to encourage the people, especially, the school students to keep the beaches clean.
“This event would definitely motivate the people to come forward to protect the beaches. Concern is being raised in view of unclean beaches with the garbage from the sea washing ashore,”he added.
“As Goa is one of the most coveted tourist destination on the map of India, the International Coastal Cleanup Day would bring awareness amongst the general populace about the importance of keeping the beaches clean,” he said.
He complemented all the people who had volunteered for the noble cause with a motto ‘Safe and Clean Beaches,’ spreading awareness amongst the public, especially, the younger generation about the impact of coastal pollution and necessity of the coastal cleanup.
Chicolna Bogmalo sarpanch Laxman Kavlekar said that the tourism department should take immediate steps to maintain the Bogmalo beach clean.
“With the tourist season about to start, it is the duty of the tourism department to provide immediate necessary attention to keep the beach clean. The department should also provide the much-needed facilities like changing rooms, toilets and parking facility at the beach,”Kavlekar added.