AMIT POKRE
PANAJI
A cut in salaries of police sub-inspectors (PSIs) for inefficiency and performance related issues has disturbed the morale of the men-in-uniform across police stations in Goa.
At least one or more PSIs from all police stations have had their salaries cut this month following adverse performance assessments by seniors.
Top police sources said, although deduction of salary as penalty for poor performance was a practice long followed in the force, this is the first time that the penal action has been executed on a massive scale.
Several of the PSIs speaking on condition of anonymity told The Goan, however, that they have faced the brunt of the action because pre-determined targets for booking and compounding offences under the Motor Vehicles Act and Anti-Smoking laws have not been met across police stations.
Director General of Police Muktesh Chander confirmed that emoluments of officers have been deducted for performance-linked reasons.
“It is done as a measure of punishment,” Dr Chander said and declined to elaborate further.
There are nearly 250 PSIs on the roster of the police department and over 50 per cent of them have faced the action, sources in the know said.
Top sources in the office of the respective Superintendents of Police, meanwhile, said that Police sub-inspectors who have either not investigated enough number of cases, have botched up or done a shoddy job of the investigation in cases allotted to them or not met performance standards in other areas of duty are the ones who have had their salaries deducted.
“Around Rs 2000 and in some cases up to Rs 10000 has been deducted from the salaries of the PSIs who faced action”, a source dealing with the the issue, said.
Some PSIs, however, have termed the action against them “injustice”.
“We were never given on-the-job training for investigation. With much difficulty, we are learning on our own. If something goes wrong in the inquiry we get a bashing from the courts and now our salaries are being cut,” one PSI said.
Some others claimed that the action of cutting salaries as punishment does not have the backing of law.
“Actually someone should approach Human Rights Commission. But who will bell the cat is the question”, said one aggrieved PSI.
A senior police officer, however, rubbished the claims of these PSIs. He said, the right to natural justice of the PSIs is respected and they are given the opportunity to clarify their actions.
“Only those whose explanations are found unsatisfactory or are unable to explain their acts of omission are penalised and their salaries are deducted by a quantum proportionate to the gravity of the errors,” the top officer said.
“Recently several constables were recommended Rs 1,000 incentive for good work. Many investigation officers (PSIs) have also got cash rewards for speedy investigation of some sensitive cases,” the officer said to highlight that the measure adopted to improve efficiency levels of the junior ranks also involves dangling of the carrot at them.
