Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said the regional hubs of National Security Guards would raise the level of preparedness to meet terror attacks and respond with swift military action in any part of the country.
The security of the country was foremost in the mind of the Central government and the newly inaugurated NSG hubs in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata would create a sense of awareness on the need for citizens to be vigilant against terrorism, he said.
Speaking to media persons after the inauguration of Chennai hub of the NSG at Police Training School in Ashok Nagar, the Home Minister said the government has kept the deadline to operationalise the NSG hubs by 30 June. While the Mumbai hub came into being on Tuesday, the other NSG centres in Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata were being inaugurated today by Chidambaram.
Chennai hub of NSG would cover the entire Tamilnadu and nearby areas in combating terror in coordination with the local police, he said. Consisting of 241 members of highly-trained and motivated force, the NSG would also train State police in meeting the security and contingency requirements.
Further, the Control Room of the State police would be used to step up coordination with the NSG hub in Chennai, the Minister said. The NSG commandos have the right to seize aircraft during their rescue missions and modern equipment including facilities like choppers would be provided to them.
He informed that depending on the funds allocated for the internal security in the forthcoming Budget, more steps would be taken up by the Home Ministry to combat terrorism.
Recalling the Centre has been working with State government for the last 6-7 months to set up regional hubs of NSG, he said in the next phase this facility would be extended other major cities. Besides, an Army special force in Jodhpur and BSF hub in Guwahati would come up shortly, he said. Under the Mega City Policing scheme, choppers would also be provided for the local police for maintaining security.
With headquarters at Manesar in Haryana, the NSG hubs would have a troop strength of 241 each, but in due course depending on the need the number would be raised, said Chidambaram. At present being accommodated at the Police Training School, the NSG would move to Nedungundram, a suburb in Kancheepuram district, once permanent structures were built by National Building Construction Company (NBCC). The State government has given 85 acres free of cost for building and other infrastructure to house the NSG team.
NSG director general N P S Aulakh expressed hope the elite force would be shifted to the new facility at Nedungundram by November 2009. Giving the opening address, he said after the Mumbai attacks a need was felt to create regional hubs of NSG to ensure a quicker response to tackle such threats in future. NSG hubs would help in achieving the operational efficiency in combating terrorism, he said.
However, Aulakh stressed on the need for a coordinated response by all state authorities and security agencies which was an important prerequisite to tackle the war on terror successfully. Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin, State DGP K P Jain, senior police officers, MPs and MLAs were also present at the raising ceremony of the NSG hub in Chennai.
-source from NEWS TODAY
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