Berhampur: Even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced twice to roll out commissionerate system of police in Berhampur, the proposal still waits to see the light of the day.
Former police DG Rajendra Prasad Sharma had also reiterated in the past the decision of setting up commissionerate police system in Berhampur. He spoke in this regard while addressing the foundation day celebrations of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police.
However, the proposal is yet to be implemented. The two other cities where the state government had announced to implement the system are Sambalpur and Rourkela.
Locals are of the view that the delay has happened due to lack of adequate man power and infrastructure. As the proposal hangs in balance, DGP Abhay is visiting the Silk City, Monday.
He will inaugurate the newly constructed buildings of Gosaninugaon police station, Rambha police station and the Bhanja Vihar police outpost. All eyes are on him as residents look forward to hear something on implementation of the police commissionerate system in the city.
Reports said that seven years back the state government had taken a decision to implement police commissionerate system in Berhampur. A detailed report was prepared and submitted before the state government and at the police headquarters in Cuttack.
The report suggested having 15 police stations under the commisionerate system. It also suggested merging three police stations in Berhampur police district with Ganjam police district and vice versa for effective policing.
Police stations like Baidyanathpur, Bada Bazaar, Gosaninuagaon, Town, Sadar, Golanthara, Gopalpur, Mahila, Traffic and Marine police stations will be included in the commisionerate system.
Police stations like Jarada, Digapahandi and K Nuagaon in Berhampur police district will be merged with Ganjam police district while Chhatrapur, Chamakhandi and Aryapalli police stations will be merged with Berhampur police district.
The proposal also envisaged to divide the police commissionerate into three sub-divisions which will be manned by three DCPs. Each DCP will have five police stations under their jurisdictions.
It was said that if police commissionerate system is implemented in Berhampur then it will lead to an increase in man power which will help in better management of the law and order situation.
When contacted, Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda said that the state government is aware of the problem and will make an announcement in this regard at an appropriate time.
A lawyer Raghunath Prasad Panigrahi said that the decision is only limited to announcement and the state government has no plan in this regard.
PNN