New police bill set to clean up Goa

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panjim

Spitting, smoking, urinating, throwing garbage, flying kites, firing crackers or even behaving indecently in public places are now serious offences in the tourist state of Goa according to the Goa Police Bill, passed by the recently concluded assembly session.

Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane, who heads the select committee of the house, had proposed the bill after studying the police systems in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi, Calcutta and Bombay.

Also, influenced by Japan and Singapore, Goa plans to introduce auxiliary and neighbourhood police stations. To foster good community feeling between the police and the people, Rane has proposed neighbourhood police stations all over the state. This would let a police officer visit every house in the locality once in six months and participate in family functions.

The auxiliary police system, as mentioned in the bill, would comprise people selected and trained by the police department and given some powers.

The bill also proposes to prohibit dumping of construction material along roads, hanging the washing from cords or poles in public places, repairing of vehicles on public property, use of loudspeakers without permission, closing of streets for public functions or even illumination or excavation of streets without authority.

No person can behave indecently in public places or obstruct or annoy citizens. Bathing near wells and tanks in public places will be banned. Selling of any article on roads would be punishable and buying from children below 14 years of age would be considered a serious offence.

The bill gives some magisterial power to the police and so that they can deal with traffic offences. They will now be authorised to search any person found on the streets between 10 pm and 5 am.

The bill also deals with the problem of stray cattle.

The select committee had recommended stringent and deterrent fines and imprisonment for all offences covered under the bill. The punishments start with fines of Rs 100 and goes up to Rs 1,000 and imprisonment from eight days to six months.

UNI