Police here have to contend with overflowing drains, bandicoots

Personnel have termed Victoria Hospital police station ‘hell’

According to a senior police officer, apart from knee-deep water inside the Victoria Hospital, the whole place stinks as the drains overflow. Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

It is a posting most policemen dread, and the onset of the monsoon has only served to increase their anxiety.

Termed “hell” by personnel, the Victoria Hospital police station, situated in a low-lying area, adjacent to the hospital’s emergency and burns ward, becomes a cesspool during the rainy season. It becomes impossible for the staff, not only to work but to even stay in the office.

With the rainwater leaving an unbearable stink for many days, most police officials consider a posting to this station a punishment.

“The problem has persisted from the time the station started functioning. Though the matter has been brought to the notice of senior officials, nothing has been done so far,” a senior police officer lamented.

“We have made several representations and provided videographic evidence but it has been in vain. Apart from knee-deep water inside the station, the whole place stinks as the drains overflow. There is a mosquito menace and the station is overrun by bandicoots and lizards that damage the documents,” he said. The department is forced to occupy a room adjacent to the station to store records and important documents.

Another police officer said that many times, human waste, and formalin, which is used as a disinfectant seep into the station, making life miserable for the staff.

“The staff is often sick. A senior police officer was admitted to the hospital for a week,” said another police officer and added that all 10 police personnel posted at the station had been suffering from one illness or the other.

“While the Police Department has promised to renovate police stations to better working conditions, no action has been taken despite drawing attention to the problem,” the police official said.

‘Not aware’

Additional Director-General of Police and Managing Director of Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation Ltd. Praveen Sood said that he was not aware of the problem. “We are like a construction company exclusively for the police and take up renovation work based on requisition by the authorities concerned,” he said.