Lucknow:
The ‘Man Samvaad’ programme, initiated earlier this year for better mental conditioning of Uttar Pradesh police personnel posted with the 112 helpline, has improved their well-being with the increasing workload amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior officer said on Monday.
Additional Director General of Police, 112 helpline, Asim Arun, told PTI, “There are around 1,500 police personnel posted at the 112 headquarters here. About 32,000 police personnel are deployed on 4,500 PRV vehicles. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, police personnel were experiencing tension and it reflected in their work.” As many as 27 psychologists and counsellors from Delhi, Lucknow and Bangalore are counselling the police personnel by showing them inspirational videos, giving pep talks, listening to their problems and trying to bring about solutions.
The counselling programme started in April this year. Elaborating about the programme, Shashi Shekhar Singh, Additional Superintendent of Police, 112 helpline, said, “Under the ‘Man Samvaad’ programme, personnel can call up the counsellor and narrate their problems. A cop posted with a PRV vehicle had complained that he gets angry on trivial issues. A woman cop said that she is suffering from sleeplessness, which was not the case earlier.” “Another personnel at 112 said that his family members get worried on seeing the news of death of policemen due to COVID. The attitude of the family members disturbs the personnel,” he added.
In view of COVID-19, officials said the personnel who are above the age of 55, have been taken off from frontline duty to minimise the chances of infection. Officials also said that some personnel were apprehensive about the programme, when it started, and that senior officials may get angry at the growing number of complaints.
“So, it was decided that the information and problems shared with the psychologists will not be a part of the police records. So far, 193 personnel of 112 helpline have availed psychological help, while 286 personnel have narrated their problems to the psychologists,” an official said. He added that the psychologists do a follow-up with the personnel who have been counselled.
