'Bandobast' or back-break?

PUNE: ''Bandobast'' duty, unending hours of it, especially when some VVIP makes a brief stopover in the city, has made life hell for Pune''s 5,000-odd constables.
And then, it seems like all VVIPs love the city and try to make it here as frequently as possible! According to figures, in 2003, a record 1,280 very important persons — from President APJ Abdul Kalam (three times), vice-president B S Shekhawat (four) and Prime Minister A.B.Vajpayee (twice) to deputy prime minister L.K. Advani (thrice), NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his bete noire Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena supremo — visited the city.
But then why blame the dignitaries? Festival times are no better. Even as the whole city enjoys the yearly Ganesh festival, the constables are made to stand for hours on end at different points in the city, usually under very trying conditions, to ensure that the popular public festival passes off peacefully and in their true spirit.
Now, with the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, constables are preparing for the worst. As per the survey, constables, because of the long hours they put in, suffer from blood pressure, fatigue, asthma and also weak eye-sight, among others. Apart from this, bandobast also affects routine investigation work, which in turn leads to poor detection rate.
Speaking to TNN, former director-general of police Bhaskar Misar, while accepting that bandobast was part and parcel of a policeman''s job, said, "A mobile medical dispensary, accessible to all on-duty policemen, would help."
He suggested that the seniors should also ensure that the constables get proper food and refreshments and also regular rest while on duty. "The police also need wireless and mobile vans during troubled times," Misar said.
Police commissioner D.N. Jadhav told TNN that they would to be deploying Home Guards, State Reserve Police, and even exservicemen during the forthcoming polls to make it easier for the constables. "We will try to give our boys their weekly day off and arrange for food packets and refreshments while on bandobast duty," he said.