Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Tuesday gave a strong message to bureaucrats and police officials, during his first interaction, telling them to mend ways or get ready to face music. The Chief Minister made it amply clear that that the errant officials, involved in illegal mining and land deal, will not be transferred as a punishment. “Rather they will be suspended and summarily dismissed from service,” he maintained.
Das along with Chief Secretary Sajal Chakravorty and DGP Rajiv Kumar was holding a meeting with the top officials of the State, including DCs and SPs at SKIPA auditorium here. He also directed the police officials not to allow local politics to hamper the developmental projects being carried out in the State. “Make a list of all those corrupt police officials, who have got their postings in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Kharsawan. They will be shifted to Naxal-hit areas,” the CM directed the DGP.
Ranchi SSP Prabhat Kumar however, suggested that Ranchi should be treated as a capital city which is different from other districts of the state as any incident taking place here gets highlighted immediately and demanded more police force for effective policing. “We have been given strength of 3,500 police forces just for the namesake, Ranchi police have to fulfil the requirement of bodyguards, house guards and security for the VIPs across the State,” said Kumar. Moreover, the SSP also requested the Government to notify the five un-notified police stations, pending with the State Government for a long time.
After Kumar’s submission, Das immediately directed the State police to remove extra security given to the officials and ‘chirkut’ (insignificant) politicians on mere recommendations from the CM house, the IG or the DC of the area. “I appeal all those officials and politicians to return their security on their own before it is removed forcefully,” he added. Bodyguard should be given only after the recommendation of CID and any ‘chirkut’ politician will not be given any bodyguard,” added the CM.
Reacting to the suggestion from Chatra SP SK Jha to upgrade and set up a reception in all police stations, the CM directed him not to allow anybody hamper the developmental projects carried out in his area by politicising the matter. Hazaribagh SP Akhilesh Jha, on the other hand, demanded additional SP and City SP to establish law and order in his district and stressed on the separation of law and order from regular crime during investigations. Jha also requested the CM to increase the post of police inspectors for quick disposal of pending cases in the district.
Das, reacting to the issue of illegal acquisition of forest land raised by Jha, directed the SPs to take immediate preventive action at the time of illegal acquisition of forest land rather than complaining after the fencing was done. The CM also suggested Ramgarh SP M Tamilvanan to catch the big fishes involved in coal smuggling and small and poor players themselves will fall in line. “Any official found involved in illegal coal mining or smuggling must be discharged….go up to the Supreme Court,” said the CM. Coal smuggling has be checked at any cost, he added.
Stressing on making the religious places located in the State a safe tourist spot for the pilgrims, Das asked Giridih SP G Kranti Kumar to do whatever is required to provide security to the people visiting the place. “Make a police camp if you want at Parasnath to stop any untoward incident as it portrays a bad impression of State in the country,” he said. The Dhanbad SP, however, suggested for an effective policing on the national highways across the State and also demanded the SSP, the city SP and the Rural SP to control a population of 30 lakh with police strength of 3,000 police forces.
In order to enforce transparent and efficient Government in the State, Das called up the meeting with the top officials of the State Government and heard suggestions from each district posing a hurdle in the development of the State. Das is to hold a meeting with the CS and the DGP soon to review the suggestions given by the district heads and take proper steps to implement them on the ground.