To settle rows,a constable for every village

Of the 1,380 villages in the district,only 246 have been declared ‘tantamukta’ under the Mahatma Gandhi Tantamukti Gaon programme,launched by the state government in 2007. These include 157 villages declared dispute-free in 2007-’08 and 89 in 2008-’09.

Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Pratap Dighavkar,known for making Raigad top the list of dispute-free districts in the state last year,has taken up the challenging task. “We have set a target of transforming at least 1,000-odd villages. We have appointed one policeman per village for the first time in the district. These cops have been given the responsibility of listening to the disputes and bringing about a solution; and thus dissuading them from going to court. The constables will act as the person in charge of the village. Their contact numbers have been given to the village heads.”

The cops have also been entrusted with the job of ending illegal businesses like matka,illegal production and sale of liquor in the villages. They have been asked to go to the village at least once a week and convene meetings.

Dighavkar said almost half the total 18,800 disputes resolved in the state were from Pune district — 9500. “Our move for a cop per village is getting a positive response. We have been able to settle some issues that remained unsettled for over 40 years. Our women staff have also succeeded in settling some marital disputes.”

The constables,in the meantime,have also earned the respect of villagers. “They have started feeling that we are also members of the village. These days,I am not only invited to attend marriages but they print my name among the hosts,” one of them said.