CHENNAI: For police personnel whose duties are primarily restricted to maintenance of law and order, crime control and traffic regulation, it was a pleasant diversion. It was also a welcome gesture for students and teachers at a government school assome policemen have transformed the dull exteriors of the Pallikaranai Government Higher Secondary School on Velachery Main Road into something quite appealing to the eyes.
St Thomas Mount District Police officials said Chennai City Police had launched a scheme ‘Puthumai Seivom’ (Let us innovate), which was initiated by Commissioner A K Viswanathan. The core objective of the scheme was to reach out to young boys and girls in schools and also select college students and impart basic self-defence techniques through Karate.
In addition, district policemen have taken up the task of sprucing up the walls of three government schools at Kovur, Tambaram and Pallikaranai. The panels were adorned with the paintings of Indian leaders. There were also a couple of panels that depict the theme of policemen working along with children.The officials said the city-wide scheme is being implemented by Deputy Commissioners Thirunavukkarasu and Vimala. Saplings of shade-giving trees would soon be planted in different locations, especially near the schools.
School authorities said their children were involved in such activities, but the sight of policemen engaged in activities other than traffic regulation and security duty has exposed children to a totally different facet of the uniformed personnel.The policemen have hired professional artistes to help them complete the paintings to match the scale, while Karate training would be imparted only by police, including women officers.