PANJIM: An inspection report of the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has exposed the pathetic living conditions of police personnel posted at Old Goa and Colva police stations.
A three-member team headed by GHRC Secretary Margaret Fernandes, Under Secretary Shashikant Bhamaikar and Police Inspector Manoj Mardolkar on May 26 submitted a 11-page report highlighting the pitiable state of the staff following an inspection at the two police stations.
The report revealed that eight small beds at Old Goa PS and 10 beds at Colva PS are without mattresses, and neither do the structures have proper ventilation facilities. There is only one toilet and a common bathroom shared by male and female staff, which affects the privacy of the lady staff. It was also observed that at the rest-cum-changing room for female staff only one person can rest while there are 20 female staffers posted at Old Goa Police Station and 11 at Colva.
The inspection was conducted following a complaint filed by Advocate Aires Rodrigues, last September. Rodrigues, while disputing the stand taken by the Chief Secretary and DGP that all amenities including canteen and recreational facilities were available at every police station, had sought that any two police stations be inspected to ascertain the reality.
“Stating that there is a need to fix an eight hour shift to resolve the problems of stress, hypertension and diabetes, the report while suggesting that more staff be employed to overcome the work load has also expressed the need to separate law and order from the investigation cells at the police stations,” Rodrigues said quoting the report.
The report pointed at sewage flowing from hotels leading to breeding of mosquitoes behind Old Goa PS. “There is no canteen and recreational facilities at both the police stations and the inspection report suggested that as a short term measure on priority fridges be provided immediately so that the staff can store food they bring from home,” he said.
The inspection report also stated that in 2013 a proposal had been moved to acquire land for the police station in Bakia property at Old Goa but it was rejected the property being custodian property, while at Colva, Tourism Department has been asked to arrange to handover a plot for setting up the police station.
