n lines with Goa Police Raising Day, the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) for the first time in the history will celebrate its raising day in November this year, be observed every year.
Further, having being unnamed since setting up its base in Goa, each IRB camp now has a name. The very first structure for the 1st IRBn at Ribandar has been rechristened as ‘Kadamba’ while Valpoi has two camps namely Wageri for Navodaya camp and Sosogad for Nanoda camp, and the recently commissioned camp is named Chandreshwar.
First-hand account at IRB’s first camp in Ribandar
The IRB first battalion camp at Ribandar is not as usual. The buzz is all the more since the Janta Curfew followed by lockdown. Responsibility towards performing their duty has increased with COVID-19 pandemic. Herald visited the camp, housed in a Portuguese-era structure to take stock on how the personnel have geared up to tackle the crisis.
With sanitisation and social distancing, the main mantra to stay safe from the infection, the IRB camp has ensured the guidelines on safety precautions are strictly adhered to. I was escorted by IRB staff to the hands-free sanitisation sink, set up by the talented IRB team and as I walked down to the main camp, a message on the wall took my attention which said “Be a hero, always say I have no fear.”
Few steps ahead, there was a disinfectant tunnel also installed by the IRB team. However, the spraying sprinkle protective substance, through which every staff and visitor had to walk through has been detached after the World Health Organization believed the mixture of chemicals might harm humans.
While the tunnel on way to the entrance is no more in use, another team of IRB has been posted to spray sanitiser on your hands and check temperature through thermal guns. After this, I was escorted to the cabin of the Police Inspector (PI) Sachin Gawas who took me to on a trip to the camp.
Surprisingly, the old structure, which is not being given a revamp by the PWD for obvious reasons, has been maintained tidy with paintings and moral boosting phrases on the walls. “The PWD has approved the building’s stability,” the PI said as we moved from the dining area to the kitchen mess on the ground floor.
The cook who were already preparing for lunch from most of the vegetables grown in their backyard, have also added immunity-boosting diet for the frontline soldiers. From chillies to brinjals, bottle guard and leafy vegetables; the backyard also has some fruit bearing trees – all are maintained by the staff.
We then climbed the stairs to the first floor and were greeted by a beautiful wall painting of a train passing by the Dudhsagar waterfalls. This also is painted by one of our staff, Gawas quickly said.
“If you want to shine like a sun, first burn like a sun”; “I am a soldier, I fight where I told I win where I fight”; “Swachhata Hi Seva”; “Stay away from negative people, they have problems to every solution”; .. were among a number of messages painted on the walls.
As said earlier, with hygiene kept on priority while simultaneously focusing on their duty, the washrooms and toilets are being cleaned minimum thrice a day. “Camp is a second home. Let us keep toilets clean and neat” is the message at its entry point.
The barracks where the personnel, after duty hours, take rest had a different look. Social distancing brings in the new change. At least 50% staff has been reduced from the barracks (either sent home after duty or are on duty). The distance between each bed is created through a middle bed which is erected between two beds. “They are in the camp every alternate day,” the officer said.
On the second floor with a tint shed on a spacious rest area has also adapted to social distancing norm. A small play zone, right next to the staircase, where four personnel were playing carom was an indication that they love spending relaxing time too.
However, very few personnel were at the camp. PI Gawas explained that in the last few weeks, the IRB personnel have been performing their duty at the railway station with Shramik Special Trains returning migrants and other stranded non-Goans back to their natives.
“Our personnel are doing their duty at the railway stations. We work in three shifts but if their duty hour stretches, our Commandant ensures they are given proper rest. Even in between the duty hours, if they need some time of rest, our stand by team replaces them and thereafter the former team is back at their duty point,” he said adding that they ensure social distancing at the railway stations and that people mandatorily wear their masks. For people in need of help, the staff does not hesitate.
While their routine from morning till the late hours are uninterrupted despite the present situation, the IRBn have ensured to keep themselves physically and mentally fit through regular exercises. “The force is given nutritious food from the mess. We also deliver the food to personnel on field duty. Physical and mental fitness is taken care of, and to also ensure the staff at the camp are not bored; they indulge themselves in paintings, cleanliness, playing indoor game, gardening and other such activities. This not only keeps them fit but also busy,” the PI said.
Annual festivals are celebrated with the general public invited to attend and seek blessings.
As we stepped out of the camp, the PI took me to their composting wet waste site. Started by Gawas, the wet waste is composted and used as fertilizer for the plants whereas dry waste is collected by the local panchayat.
The exterior building has paintings of veteran Indian political leaders, also catching attention of every visitor.
We then walked through the kitchen garden till the parking lot where IRB vehicles are parked, and deployed at other camps as and when required. The vehicles are also sanitized on a regular basis, particularly in view of the present crisis.
Surrounded by trees, the premises and the old structure undoubtedly are well maintained. The PI recalled procedures for taking over the structure from the Women & Child Development in 2006 as this structure then served as a Bal Niketan.
Sanguem camp solves distance problem for South District staff
Tiring and long distance travel for IRB personnel from far-off places in the South district prompted a new IRB camp a Sanguem. It was a long pending request of the South District staff.
Commandant Bosco George (IPS) identified an unoccupied police quarters at Karkatighati and proposed to utilize it for his force. The proposal was further put forth before Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jaspal Singh, who soon granted an approval.
“The initiative of IRBn police personnel was taken as a welfare measure by locating a suitable premises, that is, an unoccupied police quarters at Karkatighati, Sanguem so as to set up a temporary camp premises,” a brief introduction note released during the inauguration of the structure reads.
The dilapidated state of the building was soon repaired and renovated; the officers and staff of the striking force took up ‘Shramdan.’ They cleaned the thick bushes grown in the premises giving it a clean and hygienic look. “Today what we are looking is a hard work and enthusiasm of the IRBn police personnel who turned these shabby and ugly looking premises into a well grooved area and giving a descent look,” it said.
After several weeks of hard work, the camp was inaugurated amidst lockdown last month and its commissioning has given much needed relief to the staff travelling from South district, particularly Canacona.
The camp named “Chandreshwar” along with other camps are also maintaining social distance and sanitization process in the wake of the pandemic.
Raised in October 2011, Valpoi’s Wagheri camp - situated near Forest Training School - has around 200 personnel from all the three battalions of the IRB. Herald spoke to Camp-in-charge Police Inspector Shyam Dhuri, who also said that every guideline related to the pandemic is being adhered to besides performing regular duty. “To fight against COVID-19 the camp premises is routinely sanitized and non-touch sanitiser device is installed at the entrance gate of the camp,” he said.