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Noida cops 'clueless' with no power to charge wireless sets
Two days of power failure not only plunged Delhi-NCR into darkness but also paralysed the communication system of Noida police. Shashank Shekhar reports.
Two days of power failure not only plunged Delhi-NCR into darkness but also paralysed the communication system of Noida police.
According to a police source, around 70-80% of battery-operated wireless sets got discharged. The maximum complaints were reported from rural areas of Greater Noida which faced prolonged power cuts.
Wireless sets are used by police for communication among various circles in case of emergency such as riots, accidents and crimes. These sets are also used to send location details of police officers and patrolling parties.
Senior officials said policing was hit because of their wireless sets going dead.
According to the police, a wireless set's fully-charged battery lasts up to 6-8 hours. On Monday and Tuesday, these wireless sets could not be charged due to massive power cuts. Wireless sets only in PCR vans were functional. Those at police stations and with senior officers went dead.
"Most of the wireless sets are dead as their battery back-up is weak. A wireless set with me remained non-functional for two days. We had to take it to a factory, which was running on a generator, to charge it," said a police officer.
Top police officer of the city admitted there was a problem with the wireless sets as they could not be charged. He claims the issue has now been resolved. "Yes, wireless sets went dead. We have asked the officers to charge them at private companies that were being run on generators. Battery back-up of these sets barely lasts 6-8 hours," said Praveen Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police.
