Sponsored: cool comfort for police officers

KOCHI: The state government is groping in the dark over the sudden appearance of cooling systems in the offices of the sub-inspectors, circle inspectors and DySPs in the state.While the rule stipulates that air-conditioned office rooms are only for officers in and above the rank of superintendents, the police higherups are amazed at the swanky offices of sub-inspectors, circle inspectors and DySPs in many police stations which have one-ton and 1.5-ton split air conditioners of leading international brands.Nonetheless, the police headquarters remain clueless and continue to harp on the rule that air conditioned offices are not for officers below superintendents.The dark sides involved in installing air conditioners at the offices of inspectors came to light after a person sought details under the RTI Act on the procedures in allotting AC to police officers.“There have been allegations that a few inspectors are demanding certain firms to sponsor AC for their office.While the firms sponsor the air conditioners, the power to run the ACs is borne unnecessarily by the state govt,’’ said RTI applicant Shaji Abraham of Vadavattoor, Kottayam.In the application, Shaji sought the ranks of the officers who have been provided with AC offices and the details of the officials below the SP ranks who are using AC offices.He also sought the details of the respective Government Order that laid down conditions in allotting AC offices to police officials.In the reply, Police Headquarters IG Sheikh Darvesh Saheb said that AC offices are not provided to offices below the rank of SPs .“Air conditioners are only provided to rooms at police stations where costly computers and other electronic gadgets are kept.Apart from it, the computer labs and cyber cells are only air conditioned,’’ the official said and added they could not find any official Government Order which prescribed norms for sanctioning AC office rooms to police officials.Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K Jayakumar said that though there are no provisions for the officers below the rank of superintendents to use AC office rooms, they are using it in the name of keeping computers and other electronic gadgets in their room.DGP Jacob Punnoose said the headquarters had not given any approval to officers below the ranks of superintendents to install air conditioners in their office rooms.