Bhubaneswar: Taking initiative to keep vigil on the activities of infiltrators at the coast, Odisha government made biometric card mandatory for the fishermen involved in offshore and deep-sea fisheries.

The decision was taken at the second state level coastal security coordination meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on Wednesday here.

As per the move, all the fishermen venturing into the sea will be provided waterproof biometric identity card. It will be mandatory for them to take the biometric card with them while fishing.

Total 3,46,948 fishermen have been identified for availing the biometric card, out of them the photograph of 3,45,649 has been taken for the card. The process for taking photographs of rest of the fishermen will be finished by end of October.

Laying emphasis on the coastal security, the government has set up five marine police stations in first phase at Balaramgadi in Balasore district, Dhamra in Bhadrak, Jambu in Kendrapara, Paradip in Jagatsinghpur and Aryapali in Ganjam district.

In second phase, 13 marine police stations have been set up in Talasari and Kasaphal area in Balasore, Chudamani and Kasia in Bhadrak, Talchua and Jatadhari in Kendrapara, Astarang, Chandrabhaga and Penthakata in Puri.

The government will urge the Centre seeking aid for providing fast interceptor boats to all the marine police stations, construction of jetty and necessary boats for sea patrolling.

Further, it was decided that the government will initiate for keeping close watch on the activities of other nationals in fishermen's villages.

Padhi directed the officials to improve the standard of the training provided to the Odisha police officers by naval coast guards about sea patrolling.