Kahatuduwa Police Station lacks basic facilities

One jeep and a three wheeler for travelling. Water from public wells for daily needs

Despite being situated close to Colombo, the Kahathuduwa Police Station lacks the most basic facilities, police sources said.

Situated on the HoranaPiliyandala Road since 1989, the land and building of the police station belong to the Agrarian Service Department. Sources who wished to remain anonymous said many of the inmates have better facilities than the police officers themselves, when compared to other police stations.

The station, which is charged with the security of 29 Grama Niladhari areas, has only one jeep and a three wheeler for travelling and officers most often are unable to arrive at a required place on time.

Although there are more than 70 male and female police officers at Kahathuduwa Police station, the building does not have sufficient facilities for water. Officers are forced to use the public wells for their daily needs.

Officers covering the night shift have more problems as they have no proper place to rest. Sources said the residential buildings provided for them were badly made structures and that many of the officers ended up sleeping on the benches at night.

According to some officers they have no water during the dry seasons and they are unable to get

OFFICERS COVERING THE NIGHT SHIFT HAVE NO PROPER PLACE TO REST. MANY OF THE OFFICERS ENDED UP SLEEPING ON THE BENCHES AT NIGHT

water from the nearby wells as they have dried. The lack of sanitary and water facilities have affected the female officers the most, sources said.

Sources also said there was no emergency vehicle that could be used at the police station. If the only available jeep is sent to a magistrate to hold a criminal inquiry in the area, the OIC of the Police Station has to come back in the vehicles of others. Having one vehicle for the entire station was not an option to those working in security services and who were expected to respond promptly to emergencies, sources said.