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This is an archive article published on November 17, 1997

Delhiites may soon wear identity on their sleeves, literally

NEW DELHI, November 16: Delhiites may soon have to carry an identification document on person under a scheme being worked out by the Govern...

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NEW DELHI, November 16: Delhiites may soon have to carry an identification document on person under a scheme being worked out by the Government to help police keep a check on the increasing crime graph and foreigners staying put illegally in the Capital.

The scheme, currently in the pipeline, will most likely take off from the coming Republic Day, Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna said.

“We may impose these conditions during sensitive periods like major festivals or important national days,” he said, adding such measures were necessitated in view of the recent bomb blasts and other incidents in the city leading to panic among people.

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While Delhiites will be required to carry either a copy of the ration card, driving licence or voters identity card, foreigners should have to carry valid documents, he said expressing concern over a large number of people from neighbouring countries staying illegally in the Capital.

“A random checking will be done. It will be like the `green channel’ at airports where only suspicious looking passengers are held up,” he said.This and other remedial measures to improve law and order in the city were discussed during a meeting he had with Home Minister Indrajit Gupta recently.The Lt Governor was categorical that everybody, including traders, commoners and police, had to contribute to decrease the crime rate in Delhi where the administration has come under a lot of flak after the recent incidents of explosions, murders and abductions.

Stating that emphasis should be more on preventive measures than investigation, he stressed that civilians had to lend a hand to help the over-stretched police control the situation.

“Delhi is not a place where you can just go to sleep. We cannot afford a poor level of citizens’ alertness here,” he said, warning it would not be possible to have a `zero level’ crime rate in the Capital. “You cannot have a perfect law-and-order situation. Even countries where professional bodies like Scotland Yard and Mossad (Israel) are working, bomb blasts are a common scene,” he said, adding that saboteurs would continue with their efforts to disrupt peace in the city.

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However, he agreed that police surveillance had to be of a higher level and that cops had to develop “an ability to spot a suspicious person”.Admitting that the police are under pressure with a major part being deployed for VVIP security, Khanna said he had suggested to the Home Minister to either scale down the security to VIPs or provide additional manpower to the Delhi police.

He said though only 2,500 cops had been approved for such duties, the actual deployment was 7,500.

, which depleted the number of cops for the general law-and-order duties.“The Home Minister has assured me that the VVIP issue will be sorted out soon,” he said.

The Lt Governor said the Home Minister had also agreed in principle to augment the strength of the city police and provide 17 more police stations for new colonies that have come up over last 10 years. This demand had been pending with the Home Ministry since 1993.

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Khanna also asked traders and shopkeepers to increase vigilance and hire “spotters” who could work for them during festive days, an ideal time for miscreants to strike.

About the police demand for more vehicles and motor-cycles, he said the Government had sanctioned 300 mobikes for the Delhi cops to increase their mobility and improve patrolling.

The administration is also developing an institutional mechanism for regular interaction with the elected city representatives as part of its drive to make Delhi safe.

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