New Delhi: The Centre has sanctioned CISF security cover for two multi-crore Tata-executed projects
in Gujarat and Odisha to guard them against terror attacks, three years after a similar cover was extended to two other behemoths.
The CISF Act was amended in the aftermath of the 2008 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to enable the central forces to take over security tasks at those private sectors which are vital and important vis-a-vis country’s economic security.
The CISF men are mandated to provide “anti-terrorist and anti-sabotage” duties on a quick-reaction basis at the facility and the personnel will not be responsible for “watch and ward” duties which will be provided by security guards employed at the campus by Tata Power.
The second project where CISF men will take charge is the modern Tata Steel project based in Odisha’s Kalinganagar and it will be secured by close to 300 Central Industrial Security Force commandos on a 24X7 basis to thwart any sabotage or terror attack like incident.
The Kalinganagar project is being established in two modules of three million tonnes each in the Jajpur district of the state and the plant boasts of a blast furnace of 4330 cum capacity to roll out high-end flat products.
Tata Power and Tata Steel will bear the cost of the deployment of the force and also ensure basic necessities like jawan barracks, vehicles and other daily needs for the commandos.
Deployment of the highly-trained men of CISF at these two facilities assumes significance as the government has been very frugal over the years with agreeing to deploy them in private concerns and that is the reason only five projects in this domain have been accorded such a cover since it began in 2009.
