Coastal Pernem in need of another police station

PERNEM: As crime grows, so does the need for a second police station in Pernem taluka. With the rise in violations like thefts, illegal stays, drugs deals, drug consumption, prostitution, loud music beyond permissible hours, ruckus by rowdy tourists, CRZ violations, it’s becoming difficult for the centrally located police station to manage the affairs in the coastal belt, claim locals.
For the past decade, the coastal belt from Morjim to Keri has become a hub of tourist activities and the Pernem police station, which is located around 14-15km from the coast, finds it difficult to maintain law and order. “Most violations are in the tourist belt. When we complain to the police, the instant response is lacking because of the constraints of the working of the outpost,” Pravin Vaigankar, local panch, said.

Pernem police station, which is under SDPO Mapusa, has two outposts under its jurisdiction— at Patradevi border and at Arambol. Police sources said that after rolling out GST, checking at Patradevi post is not required and the outpost is just for namesake.

The police outpost at Arambol has one designated PSI and 12 other police staff. The outpost has no access road for a car to enter. The narrow lane, which is the only access from the main road, is riddled with potholes and bushes. Police officers have to enter the outpost via a narrow mud lane which is around 300m. If tourists have to approach the police with a complaint, it is extremely difficult for them to locate the outpost. Tourists who wish to register their complaints sometimes fail to locate it even after being directed by locals. The rented premises is cramped and comprises a single room used as a kitchen and bunker.

“If a small matter is to be reported, we either wait at the outpost as many a times superiors or the sub- inspector is not available at the police station or we travel to Pernem to report the complaint. We need a full-fledged police station somewhere along the coastal belt,” Vaigankar said.

Sources said that during the tourist season the outpost gets about twice the number of calls than the Pernem police station, bringing the need for a separate independent police station into sharp focus.

“There is no staff constraint, the PI is the overall in charge of the jurisdiction of its police station. We are successfully managing the jurisdiction with the help of the cooperation of citizens,” Pernem PI San desh Chodankar told TOI.