The Hindu : Community policing only in phases

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Community policing only in phases

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 19. Community policing system will be introduced in the State only in a phased manner, the Chief Minister, A.K.Antony, has said.

The system has been introduced in Thiruvananthapuram on an experimental basis involving residents' associations and if found successful, would be extended to more areas, he said in reply to questions on the floor of the Assembly today.

While the UDF was in the Opposition, it had only opposed the politicisation of the force and not the system of community policing. Now community policing was being introduced all over the country and not in the State alone, Mr. Antony told the CPI(M) members, M.V. Jayarajan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, T.K. Devakumar, and P. Jayarajan.

Private participation in MCHs: The Government has permitted private participation in all Government Medical College Hospitals, the Health Minister, P. Sankaran, said.

In reply to questions of the CPI(M) members, Girija Surendran, M.V. Govindan, V.K.C. Mammed Koya and Pirappancode Murali, Mr. Sankaran said that the Government policy was only private participation and not privatisation of the health sector.

If MLAs take the initiative, the Government was willing to allow private participation to improve the facilities in district and taluk Government hospitals. The Government has signed a memorandum of understanding for private participation in setting up super-speciality blocks in Kozhikode Medical College, but discussions were yet to be held. There is no move to privatise the Medical College, he said.

Discussions have been held with voluntary organisations to maintain hygiene in Government hospitals. The Government is not opposed to private individuals earning profit, if the public is benefited by their participation in improving the facilities in Government hospitals.

Steps have been taken to end the shortage of doctors in Government hospitals.

He denied charges of compulsory sterilisation drive among the Tribals in Wayanad.

Computerising local bodies: The Local Self-Government Minister, Cherkkalam Abdulla, in reply to the questions of the CPI(M) members, P.K. Sreemathi, A.K. Balan, K.K. Jayachandran and K.P. Satish Chandran, said that a project report for the computer networking of the civic bodies in the State for Rs.150 crores was ready with the Government.

The project to be implemented on a Built-Operate-Lease-and-Transfer basis will be given to private entrepreneurs by floating tenders, Mr. Abdulla said.

In a written reply to the CPI(M) member, A.K. Balan, Mr. Antony said that the personal staff of the Ministers had claimed Rs. 77,05,487 as travelling allowance, dearness allowance and telephone charges.

Mr.Antony had travelled to Delhi 22 times and the airfare was Rs. 5,66,140. As many as 177 visa racket cases had been registered during the past five years. As on December 31, 79 cases had been registered in connection with communal clashes, 26 in connection with sex rackets and 143 with regard to dowry deaths. During the same period, 4,737 vehicle theft and 46 idol theft cases had been registered, Mr. Antony said. The Government proposed to bring a legislation to effectively deal with anti-socials and goondas in the State, he said.

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