Palamu DC deploys four circle officers for night law and order duty in Daltonganj
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, November 13: Palamu Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat has deployed four Circle Officers (COs) from different…
Palamu Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat.
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, November 13: Palamu Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat has deployed four Circle Officers (COs) from different anchals for night-time law and order duty at designated locations within the Medininagar Municipal Corporation limits, commonly known as Daltonganj town.
The order, issued on November 12, directs the officers to remain on duty from 6 pm to midnight, in addition to their regular office hours from 10 am to 5 pm at their respective anchals. The arrangement has come into effect from Friday, November 13, and will remain in force until further orders.
However, the decision has evoked mixed reactions, with administrative sources describing the arrangement as highly taxing and impractical and calling for its reconsideration.
Four COs assigned to strategic locations
According to a copy of the Deputy Commissioner’s order, the four Circle Officers selected for the deployment are Amardeep S Walhotra of Sadar Anchal, Satyam Kumar of Chainpur, Jago Mahto of Lesliganj and Renu Bala of Nawa Bazar.
Their designated duty locations are:
- Amardeep S Walhotra (Sadar): Redma Chowk
- Satyam Kumar (Chainpur): Chhoumuhan
- Jago Mahto (Lesliganj): Daltonganj railway station
- Renu Bala (Nawa Bazar): Bairya Chowk
The order also directs Palamu Superintendent of Police Kapil Chaudhary to provide police personnel to accompany each Circle Officer at the respective locations.
The deployment will be suspended on November 15 and 16, when the four officers will be engaged in overseeing Chhath Puja arrangements in their respective anchals and at other locations assigned to them for law and order duties.
Administrative sources question practicality of arrangement
Administrative sources have raised concerns over the additional workload and the distances some officers will have to cover to reach their designated locations.
According to them, Renu Bala will have to travel around 31 km from Nawa Bazar Anchal to Bairya Chowk, a journey estimated to take 40 to 50 minutes. Jago Mahto will have to cover approximately 19 km from Lesliganj to Daltonganj railway station, taking around 25 to 30 minutes.
In comparison, Sadar CO Amardeep S Walhotra is already posted within the Medininagar municipal corporation limits, while Chainpur CO Satyam Kumar will have to travel only around 3 km to reach Chhoumuhan.
Sources said the officers would be required to complete their regular office duties before reporting for the additional six-hour night deployment, making the schedule particularly demanding.
Four deployment points within a two-km radius
Another concern raised by administrative sources is the proximity of the four designated locations.
They said that if Chhoumuhan is considered the central point, Redma Chowk, Bairya Chowk and Daltonganj railway station are all located within a radius of around two kilometres.
Sources questioned the need for deploying four Circle Officers within such a small area, particularly when Daltonganj town reportedly begins winding down by around 9 pm to 9.30 pm.
They also pointed out that the deployment order does not specify an end date, as it will remain effective until further orders.
Locations considered sensitive for illegal transportation
Administrative sources, however, acknowledged that the four locations have strategic importance from a law and order perspective.
They said the designated points are significant in view of the alleged movement of smuggled cattle, stone chips, sand and other materials through the town.
The deployment is understood to be aimed at strengthening night-time surveillance and law and order management amid a shortage of administrative personnel.
Sources also drew attention to a standing Jharkhand government directive requiring Block Development Officers, Circle Officers, medical officers and other officials to remain at their respective places of posting at night. They said the new arrangement would require the four COs to remain away from their respective headquarters for six hours every night.
The administrative sources have, therefore, called for a reconsideration of the order, citing the officers’ regular responsibilities, travel distances, overlapping deployment locations and the absence of a specified time limit for the arrangement.
