Coping with 12-hour duty too taxing for constables

Pune Mirror: Pune: Wednesday, May 07, 2014.

RTI activist complains to NHRC and CM, after studying negative impact of long shifts during VIP bandobasts.

Police personnel who end up standing for hours during VIP bandobast duties may have finally found a voice. Right To Information (RTI) activist Vihar Dhurve filed a complaint with the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) and Maharshtra State Human Rights Commission on Tuesday, highlighting the gruesome 12-hour police shifts that are mandatory for VIP bandobast duties.

He had previously also informed the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) about this, following which the CMO had sent a letter to the Maharashtra State Additional Chief Secretary to take necessary action.

"I extracted this information regarding shift timings through RTI, and made a complaint, as police officials cannot form a union to express their opinion.

The long working hours affects their life in very negative ways," Dhurve said. VIP bandobast duties are carried out in two shifts of twelve hours each, instead of three shifts of eight hours each. It has often been reported how policemen on bandobast duty face health problems due to odd working hours.

Moreover, it hampers their ongoing investigations and duties in their respective departments. "Generally, shifts for the rest of us span eight hours. But cops have to be on the job for 12 hours, with two extra hours for travelling to and from their residences.

That takes their work timings to 14 hours, affecting health, family life and work. Shifts should be cut down to eight hours," Dhurve added. According to a cop from the Anti- Narcotics department, those on bandobast duty often face health problems like hypertension and diabetes.

"Sometimes, if the reliever does not arrive on time, the cop on duty is not even able to have meals," he said. A police officer working with the Social Security Cell said, "Bandobast duties are very hectic.

In case we come across some work related to our respective departments, our duty hours go up to 15, but we can't do anything about it, it is our job." Distraught, a senior IPS officer of Pune police said, "Policemen are also human beings. Making them stand for long hours tires them out. There should be fixed hours of duty." Additional Chief Secretary Amitabh Ranjan was unavailable for comment.