Chandigarh, Feb 18: To make the system to address grievances of non-resident Indians (NRIs) easier, police in Punjab have mandated the more than 100 Saanjh Kendras (service centres) across the state to take their complaints too. They can register complaints online as well, on the Saanjh Kendra web portal (www.ppsaanjh.in).
This is in addition to the 15 police stations set up specifically for complaints by NRIs. Because many districts don’t have such stations, complainants had to travel longer distances. “For example, people from Mansa were travelling to Bathinda to register complaints as the jurisdiction is with that police station. Those from Tarn Taran had to visit Amristar; and Sangrur’s NRI police station was covering Barnala too,” noted inspector general of police (IGP), NRI affairs, Ishwar Singh.
He added, “From now on, NRIs can visit their nearest Saanjh Kendra with complaints.”
Saanjh Kendras are at all police district and commissionerate headquarters, and at 114 sub-divisional levels. He said that since inspectors are posted at district-level Saanjh Kendras, and sub-inspectors or assistant sub-inspectors are supervising the ones at sub-division level, “it will be easy for NRIs to register their complaints and get justice”.
A prime reason for the decision is to save time of NRIs who are generally on a tight schedule when visiting.
It will also help utilise facilities at Saanjh Kendras optimally. “Earlier, these centres used to register complaints of marital disputes too. But, for the last two months, after a Supreme Court ruling that all marital disputes will first go to a family welfare committee formed at the level of district and sessions judge, workload on these centres has decreased. That is why a committee led by the DGP (director general of police) decided to use the staff posted in these centres for NRI disputes too,” said an official in the know of the matter but not authorised to speak with the media.
Further, the NRI police station system will also be “restructured” in the coming days. “At these police stations in Sangrur, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur, for instance, the number of complaints is low, hence the staff don’t get enough work. Once the Saanjh Kendra experiment for NRIs’ complaints is fully successful, these stations can be closed down to use the force in routine policing,” said a DGP-rank officer.
News Source: www.hindustantimes.com
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