CHANDIGARH, OCTOBER 21:
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday asked the Police force to ensure effective, efficient and transparent policing across the state to instil confidence of the general public in the law and order machinery.
Prioritising the challenges being faced by the state, Channi asked the entire police force right from top brass to the bottom to work in unison to eradicate corruption, break the drug supply chain, illicit liquor trade and curb the sand mafia with heavy hand. The Chief Minister categorically said that the police should develop a system to identify the drug peddlers/smugglers who were supplying drugs to our youth so as to fell prey to this menace.
Chairing the first meeting after assuming the charge as Chief Minister here at CMO this evening, Channi asked the officers to discharge their duties with utmost dedication; honesty and professional commitment so that the people should feel the difference and a message to this effect must go down the line.
Showing grave concern over the adulteration of food products like milk, cheese and other dairy products, the Chief Minister asked the police department to launch a vigorous campaign in tandem with the health department to crack down on such unscrupulous elements, who were playing havoc with the health of the people. He also asked the ACS Home to rope in the vigilance teams to trap these adulterators indulging in such inhuman practices.
The Chief Minister further said that all the officers who have been recently posted on new assignments strictly on their merit and track record should now perform their duties diligently to effectively deliver the goods in terms of reposing the trust of common man in the policing. Channi categorically said that none of any person without any fault should be implicated in false cases or harassed unnecessarily by keeping them under illegal custody.
The Chief Minister also asked the SSPs to issue detailed directions to all the DSPs and SHOs to ensure that the petty shopkeepers especially the vendors should not be fleeced by taking money from them in lieu of allowing them to put stalls for selling crackers and other items during the coming Diwali. He also asked the police to firmly deal with those anti-social elements indulging in the malpractices of betting/gambling and be given the exemplary punishment as deterrents for others without showing any laxity. He however said the patrolling especially at night during the festival season should be intensified to avoid any untoward incident.
Emphasising on bringing sweeping reforms in the traffic policing and management, Channi said he was getting several complaints almost regularly about rampant corruption and harassment to the commuters in the guise of checking of vehicle documents.
The Chief Minister also advocated that the severest of severe punishment should be given to those erring police officials who were bringing bad name to the entire police force.
Without mincing any words, the Chief Minister asked the police officers especially the SSPs to either perform or be ready to be replaced for their inefficiency as the efficient, clean and transparent administration, both in civil and police administration was the hallmark of his government’s agenda.
Earlier, the Deputy Chief Minister, having the portfolio of Home Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that our police force was quite competent with enormous capacities and capabilities to face any challenge. He said, ’’If our police force could valiantly contain the decade long militancy in the state, I am confident that they will certainly set an example to wipe out the drug menace besides gangsterism and sand mafia.”
Deputy CM also assured the Chief Minister of living up to the expectations of people by delivering justice to the common man. He exhorted these officers to discharge their duties fearlessly with the sole motive to ensure security and safety of the general public. Randhawa however said that he would protect them and their families so as to boost their morale in line of their duty.
Earlier, the DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota apprised the Chief Minister that the police department would soon set up special suwidha camps every fortnight to redress the grievances of people on the spot.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari, ACS Home Anurag Verma, Principal Secretary to CM Hussan Lal, Special Principal Secretary to CM Rahul Tiwari and Special Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister Varun Roojam besides ADGPs, IGs, DIGs, CPs and SSPs.
