Coast Guard commander visits Mangaluru

Indian Coast Guard commander (western seaboard) additional director general K R Suresh, who is on a four-day visit to Karnataka headquarters of the coast guard in Mangaluru, has taken stock of the operational readiness of Coast Guard assets in the state.

A Coast Guard release here said on Saturday that it was his maiden visit to the state after assuming command of the western seaboard.

He also reviewed the progress of infrastructure development in Mangaluru, including the upcoming state-of-the-art Indian Coast Guard Academy project at Kenjar village.

The commander also interacted with men and civilians of Coast Guard to get apprised of their basic functioning and welfare activities being undertaken. The commander, in his 35 years of service, has led various afloat and ashore units, including Coast Guard district headquarters No. 3, Karnataka from 2015 to 2017 during which he ensured lot of infrastructure development at Mangaluru.

He has also held important key staff appointments at Coast Guard headquarters in Delhi whereas deputy director general (Ops and coastal security).

The commander is a recipient of the prestigious President Tatrakshak medal and Tatrakshak medal by the Union government and has overseen the firefighting operations onboard MT New Diamond and MV X-press Pearl off Sri Lanka as well as pollution response operations of MV Wakashio off coast of Mauritius, the release added.