When Inspector General of Police, Sunil Garg visits the Colva Police Station mid next week, he will have to grapple with a long pending issue plaguing this coastal police station — absence of an independent and full-fledged building for this police station having jurisdiction over Salcete’s coastal belt, right from Cavelossim-Mobor to Majorda.
The men-in-uniform manning the Colva Police Station have only heard their superiors and the politicos handing out promises over the years to shift the police station to a new and spacious premise, but in vain. And, the IGP’s visit, says the men-in-uniform, will not change the ground reality immediately, though they hope that the IGP will strongly take up the matter with the government on utmost priority.
Colva Police Station is the only police station in the Margao police subdivision which is operating from a rented house. The police station does not have an independent lock-up facility or well maintained barracks for the men-in-uniform. The police station is not secured by a wall and neither the rooms safeguarded are with grilled windows. That a magisterial inquiry had observed that the Colva Police Station building — functioning from a rented premises — is not at all safe to carry out the functions of police administration, has not spurred the government to scout for the land to house the police station.
Sources in the know said the Police Dept had been corresponding with the Tourism Dept for a govt acquired land for the police station, but in vain. Even senior police officers are surprised over the huge delay in addressing the question of land for the police station when the government has drawn up big plans to rope in private players to develop government acquired land for tourism-related activities. Incidentally, Colva Police have finally received additional manpower to tide over the acute staff shortage. But, more than the staff, the functioning of the police station is hit by space constraints and stinking toilets and soak pits. “We are faced with a peculiar situation at the Colva Police Station. Since the police station is functioning from a rented premise, we cannot undertake any major changes without the landlord’s nod. There’s no space for a lock up facility at Colva Police Station. And, without the landlord’s permission, we cannot effect any changes to the building or the compound wall”, remarked a police official in the know.
The station had come under close scanner last year following the alleged kidnapping of minor girl by a group of tourists from MP. That the accused even managed to flee from the police station premise had exposed hollow the security in and around the police station. Incidentally, a recommendation made by the Magisterial inquiry for the up-gradation of the police station into a full-fledged police station with a lock-up and other basic facilities under coastal security scheme has also not changed the ground reality till date.
