GOMANTAK TIMES: SMD's strictures on PIs of Vasco, Mormugao, Canacona

[While officials debate the issue, what is the situation on the ground? Any comments from Vascokars? -FN]

SMD's strictures on PIs of Vasco, Mormugao, Canacona

[GOMANTAK TIMES, Dec 27, 2005 Page A4]

By A Staff Reporter reporters@gomantaktimes.com

MARGAO: The countdown to the New Year is generally known for its fun and festivity and dances galore being organised throughout the state. But the Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), South, Suresh Pilankar, who is the authority for implementation of sound pollution regulations, has condemned the "action on th epart of the police inspectors (PIs) for their indirect way of refusal of his instructions and the modalities they have employed in doing so" and flayed the PIs of the Vasco, Mormugao and Canacona police station for their ignorance of the law.

SDM Pilankar in his three-page report dated December 26, has referred to the copy of the order of the Bombay High Court in writ petition 366/1999 pertaining to noise pollution and has passed strictures on the police department, urging them to initiate immediate action against the violators of the sound pollution regulations.

In his report, Pilarnkar has regretted that "the in-charge of the police stations are unaware of the magisterial arrangements made by the government under the provisions of the CrPC in the state to handle the law and order situations.

He stated that "it is not understood under what provision of law, the in-charge of a police station can ask the SDM to deputy an executive magistrate at the police station during night hours".

The SDM claims that "as per the directions of the Supreme Court, no magistrate can be permitted to visit a police station, especially at nights and that the Supreme Court has also directed that the magistrate should not be asked by the police to be a member of the raiding party."

He stated, "inspite of the above directions of the Supreme Court, the PIs asking the SDM to deputy an exective magistrate during night hours at the police station is not only the height of ignorance of the police in-charges in the Margao sub-division but also it is contempt of the directions of the Supreme Court."

By such reply, the PI of the police stations in the South Goa district have shown their incapability of honouring the directions contained in the order of the High Court, instructions of which in fact has also been issued to the Director General of Police (DGP), Panjim by the Under Secretary (Home-II)."

"The wireless messages of the Vasco, Mormugao and Canacona PIs are more concerned as the in-charges of these police stations are ignorant as to whom they should approach for the orders for maintaining of law and order in their jurisdiction. He feared that such indirect refusal of directions would even put the chief secretary to problem due to such contempt.

The SDM has appealed to the South Goa Collector to draw this to the attention of the SP (South) and to convene a meeting of the senior police officials along with all the magistrates in the district, so that the concerned officers can be educated on the provision of law so far as maintaining law and order and complance of the direction issued by the court.

The SDM has also sought the intervention of the Home Secretary, if the district magistrate deems it essential.

Earlier, the SDM had on December 24, instructed the in-charges of the police stations in the Margao sub-division to be alert to the violations of the sound pollution regulations and received wireless messages from them requesting him to depute an executive magistrate at their respective police stations for the implementation of the court directives.