Police bodies threaten protest

BHUBANESWAR: Three police associations of the State on Wednesday threatened protest over non-fulfilment of their long-pending demands prompting the State Government to hold a meeting.While Odisha Police Havildar, Constable and Sepoy Mahasangha warned to stage a black badge protest over non-fulfilment of its demands, Odisha Police Service Association and Odisha Police Association extended support to the mahasangha. Odisha Police Association has also cautioned that its members would go on mass casual leaves if its demands are not met by February 10.

However, State Police Headquarters sources said, the Government is seized of the matter and will soon resolve the matter. A meeting was also held at State Secretariat.The mahasangha is demanding the 13th-month compensatory allowance to be at par with the monthly salary, increase in special diet allowance, mobility allowance and washing allowance along with providing health insurance to havildars, constables and sepoys. “We will wear black badges from Thursday as our demands have not been fulfilled. One of our demands is to grant compensatory allowance to the personnel earning up to `40, 000 a month,” mahasangha president Santosh Sathpathy said.

Odisha Police Association president Satyajit Mishra also demanded the 13th-month compensatory allowance at par with monthly salaries besides enhancement in pay bands and health insurance of ` 5 lakh for each policeman, adequate financial resources to meet investigation and enquiry costs.

The association is also demanding an end to contractual appointments of direct sub-inspectors and do away with recruitment of direct DSPs as the State now has sufficient number of DSPs to fulfil the future IPS vacancies. “The members will wear black badges on Thursday as our demands are not being fulfilled. Further decision will be taken during Odisha Police Coordination Committee meeting tomorrow,” Mishra said.The three associations are gathered under the banner of Odisha Police Coordination Committee.