Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Security audit for star hotels soon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said here on Thursday that security audit would be undertaken in all four-star and five-star hotels in the State within a month.

The Minister was talking to the media after a conference of Tourism Department officials, the police and owners of four-star and five-star hotels convened to discuss security issues in the background of the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai.

The Minister said Deputy Superintendents of Police of the Special Branch would be in charge of the security audit, under the supervision of the Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence). The government was considering inclusion of security requirements as part the criteria for granting star ratings. Security of hotels should cover not only the guests but also the hotel staff and contractors and their temporary workers supplying provisions and other materials.

Mr. Balarkrishnan said many suggestions had come up at the conference. The government had entrusted the Principal Secretary (Home), Secretary (Tourism) and the Director-General of Police to look into them and submit a report. The government would take further steps on receipt of the report.

He said that besides the Central government, some embassies had also taken up the issue of security in hotels frequented by foreigners with the State government.

The Consulate of the United States had said that it would direct tourists to hotels in Kerala only after considering the security arrangements.

He said that while the hotels would be in charge of internal security, the police would keep watch on tourist destinations. Special arrangements would be made to ensure security of houseboats operating from Alappuzha. The hotels would be required to examine the travel documents of guests and file reports about foreigners staying in the hotels in the specified form on the day of their arrivals itself. These could be filed with the police using the Internet.

He said that all hotels, investing crores of rupees in facilities, should incorporate security into their plans and set up equipment needed to ensure security. They should also keep plans of their premises with the security staff. The police would be taking steps to check use of explosives for fishing near tourist centres, as terrorists would be able to exploit the situation.

Mr. Balakrishnan said that the State government would again seek a CBI inquiry into the larger conspiracy behind the Marad massacre.

The issue would be taken up with the Centre during the conference of State Chief Ministers and Home Ministers slated to be held in New Delhi on January 6.

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