In sensitive border district, new SSP in Gurdaspur has his hands full

Ravi Dhaliwal

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Gurdaspur, March 5

The new SSP of Gurdaspur, Harish Dayama, commences his innings amidst a series of challenges, some serious enough to warrant immediate attention.

Have eye on goals

If you have your eyes firmly set on your goals, obstacles automatically vanish. It is only when you take your eyes off your goal that the obstacles start appearing. — Harish Dayama, Gurdaspur SSP

The officer will have to tackle head-on the dilemma of Pakistan-controlled drones flying in with drugs and weapons. Dealing with traffic chaos in a city whose markets have absolutely no parking space, particularly in front of banks and other commercial establishments, too will rank high on his agenda. The police chief will do well to remember that this is a city which does not have traffic lights or footpaths. Even seven decades after the country attained independence, not even a single traffic light has been installed.

Last but not the least, the SSP will have to figure out how to put an end to the blatant interference in his force by the AAP appointed Halqa In-charges.

PPS officers appointed as district heads quickly succumb to impetuous behaviour and vagaries of the Halqa In-charge culture. This leads to a miscarriage of justice because these politicians use these officers to strengthen their vote banks. In direct contrast, IPS officers rarely listen to these leaders. These politicians invariably have a hand in appointing SHOs and lower level constabulary. This actually dilutes the power and authority of an SSP. The officer is left in the lurch when subordinates instead of directly reporting to him approach these leaders for orders.

Senior officers admit that the police chief this time should be given a long tenure, he should not be replaced after spending just a couple of months in office like Dayama’s immediate predecessors.

“It is high time politicians stop shifting IPS officers in sensitive border districts. Pakistani state and non-state actors may resort to sending in more and more drones to create terror in India’s border areas just to deflect attention from the rot they have landed themselves in their own country,” said a senior officer.

BSF officers admit that drone flights are infiltrating deeper and deeper into the Indian territory than ever before. If these flying machines are neutralised in time, narcotics will automatically stop coming. This, in effect, will substantially reduce the incidence of heroin use in border cities. Dayama will have his hands full as India’s security agencies have yet to develop an antidote to the flying contraptions.

The police chief will also have to take cognisance of the fact that every third household in the border villages has at least one drug addict. For this, the officer must strengthen the village defence committees by involving retired defence personnel in their work.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Himanshu Aggarwal has directed shopkeepers and banks to use their basements for parking. It is now up to the police to implement the order in letter and spirit so that the city opens up to new spaces and in the process also gets a facelift.

On his part, SSP Dayama said, “If you have your eyes firmly set on your goals, obstacles automatically vanish. It is only when you take your eyes off your goal do obstacles start appearing.”