The concept of police normally means the organised civil force of a State to maintain law and order. Now, this concept has become wider. The present police force as observed is becoming more pro-people now, and there is change in ideological values of police.
On June 25 last, the writer attended the interactive meeting of senior citizens of Bhubaneswar capital city called by the Commissionerate Police. This was the 6th interface arranged by the Commissionerate Police since 2012. Nearly 800 senior citizens of male and female attended it, where mainly the security and safety of old people were discussed and outlined.
law and Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Shau was the chief quest, while Police Commissioner YB Khurania presided over the meeting. Among others, Director, General of Police BK Singh, former DGP Sarat Chandra Mishra, Principal Secretary Nitin Chandra, and Senior Citizen Forum secretary Krupasindhu Sahu were present.
At the present scenario the problems of old people are increasing as the concept of family life is deteriorating day by day and the youngsters are not prepared to take care of their parents. This is an inevitable factor, because most of the young boys and girls are going out of the home land for earning their livelihoods and their parents are remaining in a lone position and spending their rest part of the period in a helpless condition and also their safety is at stake, whether it is a rural or urban area. This problem will ever increase, without any check, because there is no scope of sustainable living.
Taking care of old people, who have contributed their youth period for the wellbeing and causes of the State and nation is a social responsibility. The bureaucratic attitude of public servants like police cannot solve the problem.
As informed the State Police Department is going to start a special cell in every police station to deal with the problems of old people, and a nodal officer in each police station is going to be appointed for such reason. In Police Commissionerate of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack a Special Nodal Cell is now working for the senior citizens and an Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police is in charge of supervision of the tasks. A special scheme is prepared by the Commissionerate Police to monitor the services and problems as senior citizens which is praiseworthy.
But the question arises is how such ever rising problems of senior citizens can be faced without adequate staff of the Police Department. Commissioner of Police Khurania said there is a shortage of 2,000 Sub-Inspector of Police in the State. The constables and Sub-Inspectors are the backbone of the Police Department. He also expressed his agony that he is employing constables to the houses of registered senior citizen members to keep tab on their problems. It is a fact that the State Police Department cannot work adequately for the interests of people in absence of manpower.
Increasing workload compels a police officer physically and mentally either to neglect an investigation or to do it improperly. As a result, in most of the cases, the accused persons are acquitted and the State bears the financial loss for improper use of public machinery. This is principal factor why the criminals are not afraid of the police and police actions, and that is why the crimes are increasing in the State. The writer could know from a very responsible police officer that the police officers having bad professionalism and reputations are being posted to the police stations, when adequate staffers are not available for proper choice of posting. It is a very dangerous practice.
The writer attracts the notices of the Chief Minister of the State and of the Minister of law for introspection over the matter to remove the constraints. This is a great social injustice.
Another pertinent question raised by some of the senior citizens was free sale of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, without restriction in the capital city and other areas. They said that it is the principal cause of increase of crimes and social disturbance. When one the one hand, the social disturbances are promoted by the State Government through free sale of liquor, on the other, the State police crippled by staff shortage are alleged for not being able to put crime under check. Some of the senior citizens raised their voices before the law Minister to ban sale of liquor in the capital and also in the State. There is no denying the fact that the items of intoxicative like brown sugar, ganja, liquor, charas, heroine, ghutaka etc. are sold in the capital city and elsewhere, beyond the control of police. Over and above, the juveniles involved in such crimes should be sorted out to convince the popular Government to what extent our vital human resources are spoiled for narrow gain.
The writer had experienced the British police administration in the State during pre-independence period. The writer does not observe much attitudinal change in the State Police Department which is a matter of worry. The station staffers should be adequately educated and trained to work honestly and fairly with pro-people attitude; and to serve for the society and the destitute. The senior citizens of the State and nation are almost now becoming destitute in the eyes of the society, but they can contribute a lot from their vast experiences to the society.
Again it is also seen that many individuals in the Police Department spent most part of their service period in twin city of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar starting from Sub-Inspector to DSP and cover most of the Police Stations in the Commissionerate. It clearly shows that they have vested interests to stay in the twin city. This is not good sign of administration, because no fair and truthful services to the society can be expected from them.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)