the goan I network
PANAJI
The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) in a inquiry has concluded that Human rights of police personnel posted on duty during the 2016 BRICS Summit held in South Goa from October 16 to 17. GHRC was acting on a complaint filed by activist Aires Rodrigues claims that 25-year-old constable suffered a heart attack due to inhuman working conditions while executing his duty.
Chief Secretary, Government of Goa and Director General of Police have been made respondent no.1 and respondent no.2, respectively.
Acting on the activist’s claim, the commission had appointed Secretary of the commission along with Deputy Superintendent of of police attached to the Investigation Cell of the commission Kiran Poduval to visit the site and prepare a detailed report on the working conditions of police personnel.
The report highlights that during the rehearsal exercise on the security arrangements for the 2016 BRICS Summit between October 10-14, 2016, the police personnel were not provided food, water and toilet facilities. They were not allowed to leave or abandon their duty points. The GHRC team had visited the site on October 14, 2016.
During the actual days of the summit, between October 15 and 17, the police personnel were provided food and water. However, the quality of the food was not found to satisfactory and it was prepared in unhygienic conditions. They were also made to work 10-hours at a stretch or sometimes even more than that. Food and water arranged during this time was on the personal expense of the posted police personnel.
The report also states that there were no tenders floated for the caterer to provide food to police on duty. A caterer from Bicholim was chosen on October 13, 2016. The process of tendering was on oral instruction of the Superintendent of Police (Security).
The inquiry report has asked the Police Department to hold back payment of bill submitted by the contractor and asked it to impose a financial penalty on caterer. Respondent no.2 DGP has admitted that food supplied to on duty police personnel was prepared in an unhygienic and open condition in violation of the breach of contract order given to the caterer. Police Inspector Nolasco Raposo visited the site at Verna where to food was prepared and admitted it was done in an unhygienic
condition.
Police Inpectors Serafine Dias and Mahesh Gaonkar, posted on duty to handle the security at the BRICS Summit have admitted the food was of poor quality and not good for consumption.
In its conclusion, the GHRC report states that future deployment of police personnel for a large-scale event should be done as per the Writ Petition No.472/2018 issued on September 14, 2018 which has mentioned certain guidelines to be followed.
Besides, It has asked the Police Department to ensure that personnel on duty are not overburdened and given due rest after performing strenuous
duty.
