Chennai: ”We do not sit in air-conditioned offices and work. Does anyone think of that?” This is one of the first things pointed out by Raja*, a police constable, talking about his working conditions during summer time.
The city police are on their toes throughout the year, but summers are the most taxing, courtesy the scorching sun.
”Most of you work in the comfort of an air-conditioned office, but we are on duty 24 hours, all seven days, and mostly on the move, including patrolling.” he says.
It is even harder for traffic policemen who stand under the sun for hours together. ”We take off the uniform, as we do not feel like wearing it. We get really tired. If there is additional VVIP bandobust, we get exhausted,” a traffic policeman says.
This time, summers might be slightly bearable, thanks to the department’s initiative of providing buttermilk or lemon juice to the uniformed men, according to their preferences. This is expected to be supplied four times a day.
It may be noted that City Police Commissioner A K Viswanathan, recently launched the initiative, near Anna flyover, by handing over buttermilk, to the traffic constables who were on duty. The refreshing drink will be supplied to them for the next four months, to beat the heat and combat fatigue.
A total of 5,000 of them, from constables to Assistant Commissioners of Police, will benefit. But the police personnel say, it is not enough. More than a drink, it is a day’s off that will help them, they say.
”If we get at least three or four days in a month, that will help us relax and energise. Being on our feet all the time, will naturally frustrate us, and may reflect on our work”, he states, adding, ”A break will benefit us. We don’t get to spend time with our families at all during summers.”
Talking about the work load, he says, ”All the stations are under-staffed. They give us two-wheelers for patrolling, but
we do not have enough personnel to go on rounds. In the next few months, many families will be going out of town for vacations. That means there will be thefts reported in houses, for which we have to be extra-vigilant.”
(*name changed to protect identity)