Bidari snubs resident bodies

Bidari snubs resident bodies
Police Commissioner, who had promised to work with RWAs to create a database of residents, now says his staff would do it on their own
M K ASHOKA


After the serial Bangalore blasts in July 2008, Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari had promised citizens he would extend the department’s support in creating a database of residents. But he has yet to keep his word.
He has also ‘shunned’ help from residents’ bodies, saying it’s “not required”.
When the residents’ welfare association of Virupakshapura (off Bellary Road) submitted to the police a proposal for gathering data of all houses (rented as well as owned) by involving RWAs in July last, Bidari accepted the plan, saying it would be implemented at the earliest.
While the RWA members said they would develop the software for maintaining and updating data about residents, his office gave no indication of its interest.
Six months later, K N Jagadish Kumar, president of the RWA, sought to know the status of the project through RTI. He learned the project had been postponed by six months.
“Though we are offering the service without asking for a single paise from the police, the latter are dilly-dallying on the project,” says Kumar. What the associations expect of the cops is to authenticate data and monitor and maintain the register containing details of tenants. The police chief also needs to issue a statutory order making registration of tenants a must.
The police commissioner, however, said, “We don’t need anyone’s assistance. Our force is competent to collect data on its own. There was some technical problem pertaining to storing of information.”
“We’ll soon issue a statutory order and begin data collection,” he said.
On its part, the association has gathered details of residents in 13 layouts in Bangalore North. As for the software, members say it can be developed within three days.
THE
PROJECT
Residents welfare associations of respective areas will collect details of houses and people in residential areas. A register will be maintained in which people will furnish their identity proof New tenants must visit the jurisdictional police station and submit their identity proof
INFO ON TOURISTS
In Mumbai and New Delhi, information about tenants as well tourists staying in small hotels are gathered on a regular basis. Photo identification is sought everywhere.
Jagadish Kumar, who had gone to Mumbai to visit his wife, said, “While I was parking my car, the apartment secretary came to me and collected detailed information about myself.”
EYES, EARS OF GOVT
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India is carrying out a campaign called ‘Be our eye and ears - join the fight against terror’, urging the people to be safe by circulating some dos and don’ts.
Dos
Do observe normal, minimum precautions Do physically check or screen bags carried by visitors Do look out for suspiciouslooking persons, their movements Do call the police in case of suspicion Do brief children on observing precautions Do install CCTV
Don’ts
Don’t admit stranger or suspicious person; insist on identification Don’t accept any package from strangers Don’t touch or go near unattended bag, package, object Don’t employ anyone without verification Don’t let out house or shop without verifying tenant

The replies from office of Police Commissioner to residents’ welfare association saying it would implement the project from July 1, 2009 and (right) another saying it has been unable to implement the same