CHENNAI: Giving a free hand to the collectors and police officers in discharging their official duties in accordance with the law, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday said, “Whoever the offenders may be, and however influential they may be, prompt legal action must be taken impartially and without delay to ensure that they receive the punishment they deserve. At the same time, care must be taken to ensure that no innocent person is affected, even inadvertently.”
Addressing the new government’s first two-day annual conference of collectors and police officers at the Secretariat, Vijay said, “There will be no interference from any quarter in the discharge of officials’ duties.” Stating that the people had elected his government for its commitment to transparency, honesty, social justice and corruption-free governance, he urged the officials to make transparency the guiding principle of their administration.
Throughout his day-long discussions, the CM laid emphasis on the safety of women and children. “Their safety must be ensured 100%, and there should be no compromise on that. Special arrangements must invariably be made to safeguard women,” he said and urged the officers to pay special attention to it. He further said a concerted drive must be undertaken to install CCTV cameras at all identified vulnerable locations, including areas unsafe for women, crime-prone locations, accident black spots, and places frequently visited by senior citizens.
Vijay made it clear that delays in registering FIRs in cases relating to crimes against women and under the Pocso Act must not be tolerated under any circumstances. Schools and educational institutions must neither suppress complaints nor delay forwarding them to the authorities.
Awareness campaigns should be conducted in all schools, he noted. Stating that special attention should be paid to student safety, the CM said shops near schools must be kept under constant surveillance and inspected periodically. Those involved in narcotics offences should be arrested immediately, produced before the courts without delay.
Pointing out that the narcotics menace cannot be tackled by enforcement alone, Vijay said, “Equal focus is needed on eliminating drug demand through de-addiction camps in every district. As some tablets are also being abused, officials concerned must actively join anti-drug efforts.”
He also stressed the need for timely delivery of government services, uninterrupted PDS supplies, effective crime prevention, firm action against caste-based offences, speedy resolution of land disputes, prevention of child marriages, illicit liquor and illegal mining, enhanced safety in chemical and firecracker units, measures to reduce road accidents, protection of migrant workers from other states, and courteous treatment of members of the public visiting police stations.
Incidents caused by crowds during temple festivals, political rallies and public events should be prevented and relevant departments should coordinate with the police well in advance and function in close coordination during all major events, he added.
The conference, which began with a general session for IAS and IPS officers, will conclude on Tuesday.
