S Goa magistrate tells police to step up night vigil

MARGAO: South Goa district magistrate (SDM) Sandeep Jacques on Wednesday instructed the South Goa police to intensify night patrolling in the district and take several such deterrent measures with a view to bringing down the crime rate that has seen a steady rise of late.
Jacques gave these instructions during a meeting he held with senior police officials to review the law and order situation in the South Goa district.This was the first such meeting chaired by Jacques since he took over as South Goa district magistrate. South Goa SP Waman Tari, Dy SP Umesh Gaonkar, other senior police officials, senior officials from the office of the labour commissioner, inspectorate of factories and boilers, besides others, were present for the meeting.
The district collector's instructions to step up night vigil comes against the backdrop of the rise in the number of theft cases reported in Margao and surrounding areas.
Jacques, it is learnt, pulled up the police for being lax in their night patrolling exercise. When the police said they were heavily short staffed, the district collector told them in no uncertain terms that lack of adequate staff strength cannot be an alibi for shirking responsibilities.
Speaking to TOI, Jacques acknowledged that severe shortage of police staff was the refrain of the police at the meeting and stated that he would take up the matter with the government. "I have told them that till such time the strength is increased they have to execute their duties within the available manpower and resources. The police have been told to step up their investigations so that it serves as a deterrence for criminals," he said.
Acting on the directives, the South Goa police have deputed police officials of the rank of PSIs for regular night patrolling from 1am to 5am, police sources said.
Referring to complaints from the public about mining transportation in Dharbandora, the district collector instructed the SDM and the police to take adequate steps to ensure that the situation doesn't result in a law and order problem.
Deputy collector, Johnson Fernandes had recently instructed the mining companies operating in that area to stop mining transportation till the monsoons get over.