Kavaratti: Amid the ongoing protests by islanders and others against the Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel’s unilateral decisions for development, the administration approved yet another contentious plan to strengthen security on the island.
In the meeting held by the administration officials, along with the department of port shipping and aviation, a decision was taken to depute a government servant on local fishing boats as ‘deemed fit for intelligence gathering’.
This move is towards strengthening the security measures to monitor the local fishing boats and crews, a government note read.
The administration also decided on intensive checking of motorised and other vessels arriving in the island, along with necessary pre-arrival information of those to be made available.
The authorities concerned were directed to initiate action on the decisions taken immediately, the note said.
Lakshadweep administration Praful Khoda Patel is facing the wrath of ongoing protests against his decisions. Several MPs, including local MP Mohammed Faizal, wrote to the central government demanding his recall.
Of his contentious regulations is the passing of the Anti-Social Activities Regulation (2021), or popularly the Goonda Act, under which a person can be detained without any public disclosure for a period of up to one year.