Karwar: The Coast Guard in Karwar resorted to clearing the trees on the land, which was once earmarked by the district administration for the Coast Guard to build office and other infrastructure. The project of building the office of the Coast Guard, hovercraft jetti and helipad was opposed by the locals on the grounds that at least five to six kms of coastal belt must be left open for locals as major part of the coastline in Karwar has been sealed for Sea Bird project.
Post Mumbai terror attack, the central government opened Coast Guard offices in several places across the coastline of the country to step up security and accordingly, Karwar being one of the coastal pocket housing some important projects, one office was sanctioned here as well.
In 2009, the district administration sanction 13.26 acres for the Coast Guard to build their office and also other infrastructure. But when the locals opposed the project, the district administration later took away 10.20 acres and left 3 acres for the Coast Guard.
But, the Coast Guard is adamant to built its facilities in the said 13.26 acres, despite the district administration allotting land in Amadahalli for the staff quarters and the depatment of ports allotting land at Bhaitakhola for the hovercraft jetti.
In a bid to have a headway, the Coast Guards cleared as many as 165 trees on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, in-charge DC H Prasanna said that the Coast Guard has right only over the said three acre of land. “This land can be utilised only to build the hovercraft jetti, that too keeping in mind the security of the region. Locals need not worry about this,” he said
