PANAJI
The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) on Monday issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Goa Police in connection with a complaint filed by Adv Aires Rodrigues drawing the attention of the GHRC to the ill-conceived move of converting the Sancoale Police Outpost into a full-fledged police station.
The full bench of GHRC under retired Justice U V Bakre has directed the CS and DGP to submit a report in response to the complaint and the matter has been fixed for hearing on February 22.
In his complaint, Adv Rodrigues questioned the government’s hasty move to convert the badly equipped Sancoale Police Outpost, admeasuring around 80 sq metres, into a police station. While the police outpost presently has a staff of around five personnel, a full-fledged police station would require a minimum of 40 staffers, Adv Rodrigues pointed out.
The complaint also alleged that the present premises include no separate toilets and barracks for female personnel. It has further been claimed that the power supply to the outpost is illegally received from a neighbouring petrol pump and the water supply has been ensured by a fertilizer manufacturer operating nearby.
Stressing that the police personnel are bound to be forced to face tremendous hardship and risk their health thereby violating their human rights if the decision is executed in toto, Adv Rodrigues has sought the intervention of the GHRC.
