The mass leave protest planned by police constables across the State has spurred the Home Department into announcing compulsory weekly off and restricting work timing with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, senior police officers across the State held parades at their divisions on Friday morning to listen to grievances, and also visited police quarters and interacted with family members.
While the parade for most part appeared to be a formality, family members at the quarters virtually mobbed the senior officials to pour their hearts out.
At the Magadi Road quarters in Bengaluru, families said the quarters were in shambles with no basic infrastructure and drainage facilities. “The houses are in a dilapidated shape,” said a family member, who did not wish to be named.
“We are trying to run the show with meagre salaries, but the health of the heads of our families is worsening by the day owing to their long work hours. Though senior police officers were aware of this problem, nothing had been done, but now after the proposed protest, the top brass is coming to us to inquire,” a woman, who did not want to be named, vented her ire.
At Belagavi, women in the police line quarters complained bitterly about the poor drinking water supply stating that there was only one tap for every 20 families in the colony, which often led to verbal altercations among them. In Shivamogga, as part of its effort to prevent police personnel from going on leave, the Police Department promoted 30 police personnel in the district and assured them of addressing the remaining demands in an expedited manner.
“It is good that the police personnel are being recognised in the force at least now, and senior officials are claiming that they are family” said Savithramma, wife of a head constable at the Magadi Road quarters. Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Police Association, which is a registered organisation by the Government of Karnataka, appealed to the police personnel not to go on protest since the government had agreed to meet their demands.
Deployed
Vice-president A.N. Prakash, who is also Superintendent of Police, said the government is contemplating abolishing the orderly system and providing immediate measures for their betterment.
A total of 13 units of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Indo Tibetan Border Police have been deployed in sensitive districts to ensure law and order on Saturday.
