Policemen attached to 3 different units of Goa Police have been facing an ordeal for a while and their tension only grows with each passing day. The police stations and traffic cells have been operating from congested premises with the bare minimum of facilities. Additionally, newly passed out recruits joining the ranks will add to their woes due to the lack of space and amenities available to them.
“We have been operating with bare minimum facilities and the present police station is operated in a dilapidated building in congested premises. The main worry would start when new recruits join duty as there are already a shortage of beds in the barracks. How to accommodate them will be a challenge for officers in charge,” said a police constable attached to the Railway police force under the condition of anonymity.
The police staff attached to Dabolim police station and the airport face a similar situation as the ratio of staff to the number of beds is disproportionate. “We have 15 staff deputed at the Airport station but there are only two beds in the small barrack attached to the building. We are managing for now since some of the staff are locals and have their homes in close proximity. However, when new staff is added, where will they be accommodated? We have no idea whether they are local or from out. If they’re from distant areas in the State, where will they sleep?” questioned a constable from Dabolim PS. He also added, “The situation at the traffic cell is the same and there should be some intervention from authorities to improve the scenario here or the situation will get from bad to worse in the days to come.”
According to information obtained from all three unites of Goa police, including Vasco Railway PS, Dabolim Airport PS and the traffic cell, the police department will soon issue orders for deployment of additional staff at these areas along with other stations across the state. It is expected that Dabolim Airport PS will get an additional 5 or 7 constables, the traffic cell will get a similar amount and Vasco Railway PS will get at least 10 new staff in the days to come which will in one way benefit these police stations but will also add to the logistic woes.
It is not like officials in charge have no idea about the potential issues. Police Inspector of Dabolim, Brutano Paxito said he would take up the issue with senior officials to resolve it and would seek barrack facilities at Vasco PS. “There would certainly be congestion in the barracks once new staff join the ranks. We only have two beds for 15 members of staff. I will make a request to accommodate the new staff at Vasco police station barracks,” Paxito told Herald. The views of the Vasco railway PS were also similar as they said that they would seek arrangements at Vasco PS. However, they had no idea that even Vasco PS is expecting a new lot of constables and have no extra place to spare. “How can we accommodate them in our barracks? At present, we have sufficient beds and have also made arrangements for the new team to join the Vasco police station. Accommodating staff from other stations would congest our barracks. Hence we will not entertain any requests to accommodate staff in our barracks,” said a police officer at Vasco PS.
The issue of shortage of beds is getting more grave by the day as officials from Vasco Railway PS, Dabolim Airport PS and the Traffic cell have been banking on the facilities available at Vasco PS but the officials from Vasco PS are in no mood to accommodate any of them. It is necessary for state police department officials to come to the rescue of staff working at these stations in Mormugao taluka.
