Cn & Heard

Coffee with cops
Now,cops can sip a hot café latte or cappuccino and bite into a vegetarian pizza or sandwich at the Police Headquarters in Sector 9 — a coffee outlet has been opened by a private operator in the building. The fifth-floor outlet seems to be an instant hit; everything is finished around 4 pm. Cops certainly do not mind a break from the boring ‘dip tea’ and samosa. And believe it or not,a cup of coffee is available for Rs 10 and a sandwich for Rs 15. Nobody knows if these rates were fixed under the police danda!

Framed reminders
Besides the new coffee outlet,the new boss at the police headquarters has done his bit to spruce up the building. Photographs of policemen doing stunts,parades and of police buildings have been put up along the stairs. These pictures have been specially framed so that visitors and cops can quickly scan through the history of the force. The new DGP,P S Gill,has reportedly ordered more such frames,perhaps,to remind the cops about their job.

Lunch is on the house
Nowadays,if one is in the Punjab Chief Minister Office (CMO) around lunch time,one stands a good chance to be invited to share lunch with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Ever since he (re)took office,the younger Badal prefers to have his lunch in the conference room of the CM,and all who are around at that time are generously invited. And the Punjab Hospitality department ensures that when the deputy CM is in office,there is sufficient food for all.

Prime district
Despite the fact that Mohali enjoys the tag of a ‘prime district’,as it shares a boundary with the state capital,the district administration is helpless when it comes to issues related to GMADA and MC. “With GMADA and MC involved in several territorial dispute,we are reduced to a mere football which both the agencies kick at will,” a senior official confided. With no direct control over any major issue involving the public,the administration officials can only ask GMADA and MC to get any work done. “Our situation becomes more awkward when somebody comes to us for getting some work mired in GMADA-MC tussle done,” says a helpless officer,recounting his stint in other districts,which don’t have such problem. But even then Mohali remains a ‘hot posting’. No prizes for guessing why.

Office-less cop
A recently promoted IPS officer is looking for an office,as the office allotted to him at the Punjab Police Headquarters is being renovated. As the deputy of the IPS officer also refused to vacate his chair for his senior,the officer had no choice but to find shelter at the crime branch office in Sector 11. It has been a week now that the IPS officer has transformed the Inspector’s room as his camp-office.