Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took the officials of the Azamgarh division to task and asked them why incidents of crime were taking place even when adequate resources were available.
The Chief Minister said it was a common refrain that police were on constant patrol duty. He asked the officials why action was not being taken against crime and why police swung into action only after the incident was reported in the media.
With his government under attack from the opposition over the alleged deterioration in law and order and the rising crime against women, the Chief Minister visited Azamgarh on Sunday to hold review meetings to “tighten” the screws on “lax” official machinery. Besides review of crime against women that remains on top of his agenda, action against criminals, land mafia, illegal mining, traffic management, progress of construction of cow shelters, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and implementation of drinking water schemes etc. dominated the agenda of the meeting.
The Chief Minister directed the police officials to identify the tainted police personnel who were in collusion with the criminals. He said there was no place for corrupt police personnel in the police force.
Yogi said that village chowkidars could play an important role in curbing crime by providing information on time. He asked station house officers of police stations to hold regular meetings with village chowkidars.
The Chief Minister said that officials should also meet village heads and other people’s representatives regularly. He said in a democracy, communication was the most effective solution to any problem. “In cases of loot, the beat officer of the police station concerned and other officials should be held accountable,” he said.
The Chief Minister expressed his displeasure over the prevailing state of affairs in district jails, which had turned into safe havens and resting places for criminals. He directed the
Azamgarh Divisional Commissioner to identify such officers in jail who were in collusion with jailed criminals and bring them to book.
The Chief Minister rejected the usual practice of police officers to present crime control in statistics, saying instead of crime control figures, the police should make confidence of the people the parameter for effective law and order situation.
Asking the officers to ensure that crime against women and children was dealt with effectively, he said that a list of such criminals be made at range level and action be taken. “Such cases should be taken to fast track courts so that the accused were convicted in two months,” he said, adding that this would instil fear in criminals.
Taking a serious note of the use of blue and red beacons on vehicles despite the ban imposed by the state government, the Chief Minister asked the officials to take effective action to curb this malpractice. He directed the officials to start a drive against bikers’ gang and against people using beacons on their vehicles.
The Chief Minister also directed the officials of the division to provide vehicle parking place with basic amenities. He said unauthorised and haphazard parking of vehicles created chaos and obstructed the smooth flow of traffic.
Yogi said that law and order was the foundation of development. “If law and order is good, investments will come. If investments come, there will be employment and development too,” he said.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to expedite the revenue cases and give pensions to eligible people by organising camps. He also directed the officials to expedite the implementation of Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana (Urban) and rehabilitation of street hawkers. He also directed the officials to hold a meeting with principals of schools for the success of ‘School Chalo’ campaign.
On redressal of people’s grievances, the Chief Minister said if people filed complaints to the government in Lucknow, it meant that effective and satisfactory action was not being taken at the local level. He said the officials should make a schedule for hearing the public and redress their grievances.
The Chief Minister also expressed displeasure at free books and dresses not being distributed among children of primary schools. He directed the officials to ensure distribution of uniform to children in the first week of July, and of books in this month.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the progress of projects worth more than Rs. 50 lakh and directed officials to complete these works in a time bound manner. He said that if any contractor delayed a project, FIR be lodged against him.