Team Herald
PANJIM: The State has found itself in an ironical situation that while a whopping Rs 100 crore are allocated for year-long celebration to mark Goa’s 60 years of liberation, hundreds of policemen posted on duty all along the VVIP route went thirsty and without food.
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The policemen have been on bandobast duty for the last three days as President of India Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Goa to launch Liberation Day celebration on December 19.
No khaki-personnel, however, were provided with either bottles of water or food. The force also faced sanitation issues as no temporary toilet blocks were put up as against their long-duty hours. Not to forget, women police personnel are also a part of the law and order squads.
“We have been on bandobast duty for over 12 hours each day since last three days but nobody in the department or government bothered to provide us with food and water. We have been making our own arrangement,” said a policeman on duty along the VVIP route in Panjim.
The duty-personnel were in fact seen buying bottles of water and packed food at their own cost, despite the department ought to make such arrangements.
“Our superiors pull us up if we are not found at our duty-point but how do we explain that we moved to buy food and water for us,” said another.
Hundreds of policemen including traffic police and home guards have been deployed for providing security in view of President’s two-day visit to Goa that concludes on Sunday evening.
Herald tried in vain contacting senior officers for a comment to the allegations.
