Participatory policing launched in Andhra Pradesh

By K. Srinivas Reddy

HYDERABAD, APRIL 5. Maithri, a programme aimed at popularising the concept of participatory policing, was launched here by the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu in Gundlapochampaly village of Rangareddy district, about 30 km from here, on Wednesday. ``This programmes would effectively bridge the gap between the police and the people'', the Chief Minister asserted.

Similar programmes were tried out in different districts in the past under the names of Praja Durbars, Peace Committees and Praja Seva Kendras but once the district SPs got transferred, they were shelved.

Realising that such programmes were being well-received by the people, the Government has introduced the Maithri programme which would be extended all over the State in a phased manner.

Under the programme, a unit comprising 50 to 100 people would be formed in each village or locality. The Station House Officer (SHO) of the police station concerned would identify the members and nominate them to the Maithri unit.

In the unit, different groups are formed and entrusted with the job of assisting the police in specific jobs of maintenance of law and order, crime prevention, road safety, women's issues and other problems.

Each Maithri unit would have a constable or a Head Constable as a liaison officer and he, in turn, would report to the SHO.

The Maithri unit is expected to discuss problems, identify solutions and implement them on their own. Only in case of difficulties, the unit would approach the senior officers.

The Chief Minister, who was in an expansive mood, spent more than 90 minutes at the meeting eliciting opinions of the unit members and questioning them on how they would react to an emerging situation in the village.

``Tell me what would you do if you find someone harassing his wife for dowry?'' he questioned a woman Maithri member. ``We will convene a meeting and convince the man that asking for dowry is wrong'', a shy but firm answer came amidst loud cheers from the 1000-odd gathering which sat through the meeting braving scorching sun.

``What if he would not listen to your advise?''. The woman member said that she would call the police in that event.

Another member told the Chief Minister that his group, which would prevent crimes, was well-versed in martial arts. ``If we would find any thieves, we will beat them and hand them over to the police. I broke the leg of a thief an year ago and handed him over to the police'', the youngster replied to persistent questions of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu. The forthright answers in dealing with thieves evoked laughter all around.

A member of the road safety unit informed the Chief Minister that there was lot of vehicular traffic during evenings and on Sundays in the village, which is situated near the recently established Apparel Export Park.

``We will have to regulate the traffic and ensure that vehicles are cleared. This would reduce the accidents''.

The village, which has a 6,000 population, recorded two dozen road accidents last year.

A cheerful Mr. Chandrababu Naidu sought to know from the villagers whether those selected for the Maithri units were good people or not. He repeatedly asked the gathering to tell him if there were any bad people in the selected list.

He cautioned the members not to use their position to settle their political scores. ``The programme should be run apolitically and all the members should be fair, so that the village would stand as a role model for the State''.

In his elaborate speech, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu recounted the programmes initiated by his Government for an all-round development. But there were some people who were bent on creating trouble and they killed the Panchayat Raj Minister, A. Madhava Reddy.

``They are the most confused persons without any ideology. They land themselves in problems and create problems for others'', he remarked obliquely referring to the naxalites.

The problem in Rayalaseema area was entirely different. People would kill each other for petty reasons and one would wonder whether people in that area were living like human beings. Similarly, there were politicians who use the communal passions for their survival.

A time has come to put an end to all these, he added. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu told the villagers that the Government would train all the youth so that they could get employment in the Apparel Export Park. Villagers whose lands were acquired for the Park would be given compensation immediately.

Unprecedented security arrangements were made for the Chief Minister's programme. The sides of the road were ploughed by the police in a bid to locate any landmines planted and Mr. Naidu flew to the village, hardly 30 km from Hyderabad, in a helicopter.

The Home Minister, Mr. T. Devendar Goud, the Roads and Buildings Minister, Mr. K. Vijayarama Rao, the DGP, Mr. H. J. Dora, the district collector Ms. Rani Kumudini and the SP, Mr. N. V. Surendra Babu spoke on the occasion.

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