Mangalore: Police commissionerate - IGP told to Send Fresh Proposal
Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
MANGALORE, Jun 30: The State Government has directed Inspector-General of Police (Western Range) Ashit Mohan Prasad to send a fresh proposal on setting up of Police Commissionerate for the city, Home Minister V.S. Acharya has said. This follows persistent demands for a commissionerate from the MLAs the three constituencies of Mangalore, he added.
Addressing presspersons after a meeting with the officials of the western range here on Sunday, Dr. Acharya said the demand for a police commissionerate for the city was a long pending one. “I have directed Mr. Prasad to send the proposal to Director-General and Inspector-General of Police R. Sri Kumar within a fortnight,” he said and added that such a set-up was important given the socio-political and economic conditions of the region.
Dr. Acharya said that the other long-standing demand for developing the traffic management system here was justifiable. “We have received proposals to upgrade the traffic set-up headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police and to set up two more traffic police stations. Efforts will be made to make provisions for them in the State Budget scheduled to be presented next month,” he said.
Prasad informed the Minister that at present 86 police personnel, headed by a Circle Police Inspector, were attending to the traffic duties in the city.
Stating that the number of vehicles in the city had increased to nearly two lakh, the Minister said that there was a need to upgrade the traffic management system here.
Dr. Acharya said the officials had apprised him of the need to set up police stations in naxal-affected districts of Chikmagalur and Udupi as well as police outposts at sensitive industrial areas of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd at Kuthethur and Bajpe Customs airport. Stating that the officials had been directed to send the proposals, he said the Government would take action after scrutinising the same.
On the need to strengthen the 10 anti-naxal force camps spread across Udupi, Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts, he said the Government would consider the issue actively and young and energetic officials would be posted at these areas.
Asked about the status of a move by the Government to obtain the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company facility at Kudremukh on lease for police training, Dr. Acharya said the matter would be discussed with the Centre. The facility was strategically located and ideal for the police training camp, the Minister said.
“It is being contemplated to develop mine tourism in Kudremukh region. The KIOCL facility is still in pristine condition and can be utilised for educating the youth and children on how the mining activities are carried out,” Dr. Acharya said.
On the shortage of personnel in Coastal Security Police, he said steps would soon be taken to fill up the vacancies there.