POLICE-PUBLIC INTERFACE ORGANISED BY SNEH
Bhubaneswar(31/08/2023): A Police-Public Interface was organised by the Society for Nature, Education and Health (SNEH)--a registered voluntary organization working in the field of Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution on Thursday at SNEH’s Conflict Resolution and Counselling and Training Centre, located at Salia Sahi in Bhubaneswar.
Priyadarshini Nanda, IIC, Maitrivihar Police Station, Commissionerate Police, Bhubaneswar inaugurated the event along with Achyutananda Swain, Corporator, ward number-16, Salia Sahi, who attended the program as Guest of Honour.
Kabita Suar, Sailaja Mishra, Itishree Mohanty and senior advocates from the Bhubaneswar Bar Association actively participated in the interface.
The main objective of the interface was to promote the Restorative Justice process as a means to settle disputes and conflicts and promote unity building in the community. As many as 49 people from the Salia Sahi slum, local leaders from eight Peace Committees, Sahi Committees and Police Mitras participated in the program.
“We all should respect the constitution of India and we should do all actions within law.
With the increase in the population of Bhubaneswar, the number of illegal settlements and criminals has also increased.
To prevent violence and crime in the slums, the administration has also implemented various welfare schemes, for example, "Basti Ku Chala", Community Policing" and Police Mitra .
However, these changes are not possible without the cooperation of the slum dwellers.
There are many other ways of reformation and conflict resolution and legal action is the one of them but except punishment there are many other ways of conflict resolutions like, through discipline and moral education, counseling, mutual discussion and mediation.
And I hope, many minor conflicts can be resolved peacefully through the above processes.
Restorative Justice Model may be popular in coming days.
It is very gratifying that the slum dwellers and SNEH are making efforts to prevent violence and establish peace in the slums.
The Commissionerate Police is always at your service for the overall development of the slum people.
Added to this Priyadarsini Nanda, Officer-in-Charge of Maitrivihar Police Station suggested forming a Whatsapp group comprising of the Slum leaders and Police Chiefs for speedy resolution of incidents.
Such initiatives can help develop relationships between the police and the public, so essential for peacebuilding and prevention of violence, said Shri Achyutananda Swain, Corporator, ward no.-16, Salia Sahi.
Kabita Suar, eminent lawyer focused on the fact that there was little understanding of police regulations among ordinary people.
"The Police should be more friendly with the community to win the confidence of the people to resolve the issues easily at the grass-root level said Abolo Swain, a community leader.
Prasanta Kumar Mallick, Programme Manager to SNEH gave the vote of thanks and the programme was conducted by Prasanta Kumar Pradhan, Coordinator, SNEH and assisted by Dibakar Mahali, Staff of SNEH.
The programme was supported my Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).
