THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that in principle approval had been given to increase the strength of the police in the ratio of 200:one lakh people, which is now 138:one lakh.
Chandy announced this after the first meeting of the State Security Commission here on Wednesday. It also decided to convene an all-party meeting on Thursday to evolve consensus on strictly enforcing helmets for two-wheeler riders.
Against the backdrop of increasing number of deaths in road accidents, the Commission also decided to strictly enforce traffic rules. The Commission asked DGP Jacob Punnoose to recommend a list of police stations where the law and order and crime investigations could be bifurcated. It was also entrusted with the DGP to prepare a list of latest equipment to detect drunken driving and overspeed cases.
To ensure the participation of the people, the meeting also decided to implement Jana Maithri programmes in 100 more police stations.
Chandy said that a three-member committee had been formed to study how to increase the efficiency of the police and to determine duty standards. The meeting also entrusted this task to former DGP Hormis Tharakan.
The Jana Maithiri Community Policing and Student Police Cadet programme would be extended to 100 more police stations and schools respectively.
Incentives would be given to Student Police Cadet members.
Chandy also said that he would exert pressure on the Centre to launch a CBI probe into the attack on the teacher at Valakam.
Commission members including Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, retired justice K P Balachandran, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K Jayakumar, advocates Selin Wilfred and M P Govindan Nair were also present.
Police Personnel to Guard Ladies Compartment
In a bid to ensure security in trains, the police had decided to deploy personnel in the ladies compartments in all the evening trains in the state. The move follows after growing demand that security should be provided in ladies compartments in the wake of growing number of crimes against women passengers.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who is the chairman of the State Security Commission, told reporters that the Railways earlier assured to issue 128 passes to police personnel to guard the evening trains. “Since there was no further initiative form the Railways thereafter, we have decided to deploy police personnel in trains by buying tickets,” he said.