Colva police station building still cuts a sorry figure

GUILHERME ALMEIDA

teamherald@herald-goa.com

MARGAO: Recommendations of magisterial inquires, more often than not, lie confined to the dusty records of the state or district administration, for want of implementation.

The case of the Colva police station – which hit the headlines following the kidnapping of a minor girl and police firing in June last – is no different. Nearly six months since a magisterial inquiry report had recommended a host of measures for implementation at the police station following firing and lathi charge of residents, the ground reality remains unchanged.

The magisterial probe had recommended upgradation of the Colva police station into a full-fledged police station with a lock-up facility, safeguard rooms with grilled windows and strong compound wall. In fact, the inquiry had recommended that Colva police station be taken up on a priority basis under coastal security scheme. Sadly, six months down the lane, the Colva police and the Tourism Department are yet to sort out the issue of allotment of land for the proposed new police station building. “All the problems plaguing Colva police boils down to space constraint. The toilets are stinking and the septic tank overflowing. Even if additional officers and police stations finally make it at Colva, space constraint will hit their functioning”, remarked a senior police officer.

On the manpower front, the story is no better either. The magisterial inquiry had strongly recommended immediate filling up of all the vacant posts of police sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors and other staff, but nothing has changed on the ground till date. 

Police say that Colva police station requires minimum five PSIs to man the police station, given its vast jurisdiction, covering the entire Salcete coastal belt, spanning from Mobor to Majorda, but the present strength of the PSIs falls short of the requirements. Similar is the case with the ASIs and constables, informed a police officer.

The inquiry report had recommended posting of sizeable number of lady police constables following the kidnapping incident, but the police station is yet to receive sufficient lady staff till date.

Another recommendation which has gone abegging till date is the installation of CCTV cameras at the police station. Herald understands that though the Colva police station does have a CCTV facility, the cameras are awaiting repairs for months now. “The government should take a holistic look at the requirements of Colva police station since it has its jurisdiction spread across the entire coastal belt in Salcete”, remarked a senior police officer.

Incidentally, the magisterial inquiry had observed that the Colva police station building functioning from rented premises is not at all safe to carry out the functions of police administration. Six months now, and the authorities have no plan in place to go in for a new and spacious building for the Colva police station or additional manpower to tide over the functioning.