By IANS
New Delhi : The government Wednesday set up an inter-ministerial group of experts to prepare a blueprint for strengthening a response system in the wake of marine accidents along India's coastal areas during the last fortnight.
The group, which is to submit its report within a fortnight, has representatives from navy, coast guard and ports, Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T.R. Baalu said.
It would look into the information-sharing, search and rescue and salvage operations, the availability of equipment and vessels.
The group was constituted after Baalu had a meeting with all major port chairpersons, senior officers from the ministry of defence, navy, coast guard, directorate general of shipping, directorate general of lighthouses and Lightships and Shipping Corp of India.
The meeting took stock of the situation and reviewed the measures to be taken in view of the recent spate of marine accidents.
There have been 13 weather related marine casualties during the last fortnight, since the onset of monsoon resulting in rough weather conditions in India's coastal areas.