Jammu and Kashmir police have excused themselves from the state government's directive to use police stations as LPG distribution outlets during winter in the Kashmir valley, citing maintenance of law and order as the reason.
In a major setback to the Kashmir administration's emergency plan to tackle LPG crisis in the landlocked Himalayan region, police top brass has asked the government to reconsider police's intervention as they were involved in the "sensitive task of maintenance of law and order and other sensitive issues" in the Valley.
"The administration wanted us to use our police stations for distribution of LPG cylinders, but we have refused," deputy inspector general of police in central kashmir, Ahfadul Mujtaba told the Hindustan Times.
The divisional commissioner had asked the deputy commissioner of capital Srinagar to use offices of district police heads like the SSP and the SP as the "headquarters wherefrom the supplies of the cooking gas will be monitored".
As per the government directive, which was expected to be put into action in capital Srinagar city first, the district police chief along with deputy commissioner and public distribution officials were asked to be part of the task force, which would "supervise, monitor and ensure fair distribution of LPG".
{{/usCountry}}As per the government directive, which was expected to be put into action in capital Srinagar city first, the district police chief along with deputy commissioner and public distribution officials were asked to be part of the task force, which would "supervise, monitor and ensure fair distribution of LPG".
{{/usCountry}}"Police stations are meant for maintenance of law and order and crime related investigations. We believe using them for public distribution particularly in a place like Kashmir will greatly hamper our work," Mujtaba said.
For more details, read Hindustan Times