The underlings of Delhi Police reportedly take care of unaccounted work in as many as 181 police stations. A detailed audit of the functioning of the city police stations has revealed that about 40 per cent of the unaccounted work, carried out in each of the police station, is performed by the flunkeys. The in-depth audit was ordered by Delhi Police Commissioner to analyse the tasks carried out by the constabulary of the force.
The audit report, prepared by Joint Commissioner of Police, Eastern Range Sanjay Beniwal says that apart from the operational duties, including investigations and crime patrolling, the Delhi Police has to perform unaccounted tasks on a regular basis. The unaccounted tasks never ever get mentioned on record. The force is forced to do these tasks as it is understaffed and the unaccounted tasks just cannot be ignored. Delhi Police is left with very little option but to work beyond duties assigned, the report mentions.
Removal of encroachments from roads, Government lands and tehbazari in marketplaces fall in the category of unaccounted tasks. Since these are directly related to law and order, the force does it on regular basis.“The problem is compounded by the fact that unlicenced users are many times more than the licenced users. For example, for 50,000 licenced rickshaws, there are about eight lakh rickshaws operating in Delhi. Since no effective action is taken by the MCD, the resulting problems have to be dealt by the police,” the report said.
It would be interesting to note that when the Government land belonging to some department is cleared of encroachment with the help of Delhi Police, the responsibility of securing the cleared land is the concern of that particular department. “But, invariably, it falls on local police station that has to provide adequate staff to maintain law and order during the operation,” the report said.
Titled “Manpower Assessment of Police Stations in Delhi Police,” the report said: “Checking of servants and verification of their antecedents requires a lot of manpower by police station. The contract labourers, servants and farm labourers are often not paid their wages as per the law, or their wages are held back so that they return to the ‘master.’ They should go to the labour Department for their wages, but they seek help from the police. For the police, this is an extra job.”
The report pointed out that if any transformer gets burnt or a drain gets choked, the affected citizens, especially those who do not stay in posh areas, seek police intervention. “They say, ‘We have complained many times, but nothing has happened. If the SHO speaks to the Executive Engineer, then he will respond to their needs. The fact is when the police station takes up their case, the response is usually quick. For the police this is an unaccounted job.”
Other unaccounted work being performed by the force are providing police protection for demolitions, removal of bodies of beggars, drug addicts and carcasses of animals, providing security for functions at various parks, exhibitions, flower shows, cultural events, sorting out family disputes and sports meet of different schools.
The report said that switching on of power generators in the event of power failure results in complaints by neighbours about noise pollution. The police are expected to pacify such complainants as well.“Even the complaints of high volume loudspeakers at night are required to be attended immediately. The police have to ensure adequate protection to water tankers, which are supplied during water shortages.”
The report said that in metropolitan areas, car parking problems result in disputes and altercations that these require police intervention ranging from mere counselling to preventive arrests.