Yoga, leave, time with family: CBI chart to fight stress

Quality time with family, classes on stress management and yoga, and provision of timely-sanctioned annual leaves form the CBI’s new mantra to counter rising work-related stress levels and health problems among its investigators.

Quality time with family, classes on stress management and yoga, and provision of timely-sanctioned annual leaves form the CBI’s new mantra to counter rising work-related stress levels and health problems among its investigators.

The agency’s six-point prescription for tackling stress and related ailments was the subject of a circular issued recently by its administrative wing on CBI director AP Singh’s instructions.

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CBI sources said suicide by a CBI official, who was handling a high-profile case, last year was one of the key issues that prompted the CBI top brass to take the step. The circular was sent to heads of the agency’s zonal and branch offices, which supervise the work of investigating teams.

The circular listed six measures to tackle stress, including regular ‘sampark sabhas’ (contact session) at branch-zonal offices to redress grievances, training courses on stress management and yoga and upgradation of inter-personal communication.

The measures also included provision of timely sanctioned leaves, periodic health check-ups and training courses at the agency’s Ghaziabad-based academy on emotional intelligence and stress management.

Since late 2010, the CBI has been probing several important cases, including 2G scam, CWG scam, NRHM scam and murders of Bhanwari Devi and RTI activist Shehla Masood.

“Sensitive cases having national and international ramifications, pressure from courts to finish probe within deadlines, rise in number of cases, expectations from the public and constitutional authorities and media scrutiny increase the officials’ stress levels,” said sources.