Police Colony turns a graveyard of case property vehicles

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, July 21

Punjab police especially the lower rung police official are always a soft target as they face not only the maximum hours of the duty but also the criticism for poor law and order or corruption.

But when it comes to provide facilities to them or their families, they perhaps come on the last of the priority list of the governments.

The police quarters located near the office Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) and the Cantonment Police station is perfect example of this. These flats were crying for attention for long now. Many of the unsafe quarters were abandoned by the families and shifted outside for want of repair and maintenance. However, these were being occupied by some fourth class employees for their residential purpose risking their lives.

Nonetheless, hundreds and thousands of case property vehicles have been dumped at every nook and corner of the society while repeated pleas before higher authorities have fallen in deaf ears. These vehicles were dumped into the only open park and playground for the children and residents of in the colony. The links roads connecting the colony with the main roads were also blocked and rendered of no use.

This not only provides a shabby look to the colony but also become a breeding ground for insects and snakes that crept into their houses leading to panic.

“We have met police commissioner in the past for a couple of times requesting them to remove the dump of case property vehicles as they become a nuisance for the families living there, but nothing was done so far,” said Meenu, resident of the locality.

A boundary wall of a house collapsed during recent rains leaving it vulnerable. Not only snakes or insets but the unscrupulous elements can also enter the house from there, said Anjali Sharma. She said in the past also some thieves had targeted their house and decamped with valuables. Though a case was registered but nothing came out of it.

There are over 100 flats and residential complexes where cops from HC to Inspector rank officials resides. Almost all of them were occupied. Some of the flats were even five decades old or so.

“We pay significant amount as house rents from our salary. But authorities never bothered to maintain these quarters. We cannot afford to pay huge rents for living outside. Even we spent for whitewashing or little repairs from our pockets. We urge to hear our pleas and get these quarters repaired besides lifting the dump of case properties from the colony.

Police Commissioner, Ranjit Singh Dhillon said the process of the disposing off the case properties is lengthy process and it takes times. As far as maintenance of these flats are concerned I was unaware of the issue and would do the needful, he added.