‘Ensure proper arrangements for security personnel’

Taking serious cognizance of the loss of life during the recently concluded first phase of the panchayat poll in the state, the state home department has directed the district magistrates to make proper arrangement for the stay and food of the security personnel deployed for the second phase of the panchayat poll (gram pradhan and member gram panchayat) starting November 28. Around 38 homeguard jawans lost their life while discharging election duty.

While some of the jawans died of illness, other fell victim to medical negligence. During a review meeting, it was found that 20,000 security personnel move from one district to another for election duty. Majority of the jawans stay in makeshift camps which are unhygienic. During the probe, it was found that several of them were not provided proper medical aide during illness.

To gear up the district administration for the second phase of the poll, state election commissioner (SEC) SK Agarwal, principal secretary, home, Debashish Panda, DGP Jagmohan Yadav and ADG (law and order) DK Chaudhary are holding review meetings at divisional headquarters. On Thursday, the review meeting was organized at Bareilly. Talking to the media persons, IG (law and order) A Satish Ganesh said the district magistrates had been directed to make arrangement for the stay of the jawans in police barracks or house. The officers have also been told to ensure regular power supply and potable water too.

The state government has already announced Rs 5- 10 lakh compensation to the family members of the employees who dies on poll duty. The officers have been directed to make arrangement of an ambulance or some other vehicle to take sick jawans to hospitals. Twenty seven districts utilsed the service of the jawans from another district during the first phase poll.