Saturday, Mar 15, 2003
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Tamil Nadu
By K.T. Sangameswaran
Adding to their woes is inadequate infrastructure at police stations, particularly in rural areas. The personnel are also stressing the absence of a recognised association to draw the authorities' attention to their grievances. While acknowledging that promotion prospects and availability of equipment and vehicles have improved, the personnel are sore that their basic grievances on the issues of uniform, leave, transfers and postings, orderlies and provision of rations have not been attended to. "We are being discriminated against even in the cloth given for our uniform". No purpose will be served by increasing the sets of uniform given every year when the quality of cloth remains poor, say the personnel. On the contrary, members of central police organisations, who perform a role similar to the State police, are provided quality cloth. Further, the local police have to pay stitching charges. While appreciating the fact that the nature of duty and responsibilities demands of them even off-day assignments, the personnel, however, say a day's wages can be paid for the extra work done, instead of a paltry Rs. 100 per day. Vacancies at stations contribute to the extra workload. Though it has been laid down that no orderly be posted at the residences of officers, the norm is being observed more in the breach, adding to the burden on the available hands. Political interference and corruption in postings and transfers and the practice of officers taxing their subordinates in the name of `bandobust', for no worthwhile reason other than pleasing political bosses, have demoralised the personnel. Though political rulers and officers wax eloquent on welfare measures, there is no supervision worth the name of the rations supplied to the policemen, the sources say. Also, the initial enthusiasm over seeking redress of grievances by presenting petitions directly to the Chief Minister seems to be waning. While welcoming the idea, the personnel say that in several cases, applications have to be sent back to the police headquarters for response, as the political executive cannot take immediate decisions. This process takes time. Further, no timeframe is fixed for disposal, consequently the fate of the petitions will not be known. Only an acknowledgment that the petitions are being considered is sent to the applicants. The sources also dispute official figures for disposal of grievance applications. Construction of boarding and lodging facilities in Chennai and district headquarters while the policemen are on transit can be taken up, they suggest. Though mobility of personnel has improved with availability of an increased number of vehicles under the modernisation programme, the need for setting up "police vehicle workshops" in the State capital and in districts is being emphasised to ensure timely maintenance. With road accidents on the increase, they say, an ADGP rank officer can be posted for framing policies at the macro-level.
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