CISF men guarding airports need better training: Panel

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5

Taking cognisance of reported instances of misbehavior by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel deployed on security duties at airports, a parliamentary panel has asked the government to ensure better training for the force.

The recent incidents of misbehavior definitely show the CISF in poor light and prove that the training programmes are insufficient and more needs to be done, the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has stated in its report tabled on January 4. “The government should re-evaluate soft skill training programmes of CISF and security personnel and motivate them to be passenger friendly,” the committee has suggested.

The CISF is one of the Central Armed Police Forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs and its mandate is to provide security cover to industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities, public sector undertakings and other sensitive high-value civilian establishments, including atomic power plants, space installations, mints, oil refineries and major ports.

At present, it is responsible for security at 59 airports in India. Besides perimeter security, controlling human and vehicular access to airport premises, frisking passengers and scanning baggage, the CISF also maintains mobile quick reaction teams and bomb disposal squads to deal with any contingency.

Observing that improper behaviour continued even after guidelines were issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to facilitate proper and courteous screening of passengers, the committee said the government needed to be proactive to face emerging challenges of the growth in civil aviation sector.

While CISF personnel are required to carry out security checks efficiently while keeping the dignity and privacy of passengers in mind such as touch-free frisking with hand gloves and private screening areas, specific instructions have also been issued to them for ensuring that due courtesy is extended to judges of the High Court and members of Parliament. A proposal is also being processed to introduce full-body scanners at airports, which will further improve security checks while reducing human interface.