1. JYOTI :
This is a unique initiative of ADPC started on 26.01.2014 in collaboration with Asansol Ashirbad Foundation NGO of Asansol to make the Commissionerate area Drug free. Having realized that a large number of youth are becoming addicted to Drugs and therefore they are becoming constant source of nuisance for the family and the society. Some of them are initiated into crime for the money needed to buy drugs. When they are arrested the arresting officers also face problems handling them as in the absence of requisite dose of drugs those boys behave in an extremely abnormal manner. Post release on the correctional home on bail those youth once again go back to crime for drug consumption. Therefore they are trapped into the vicious circle of crime & drugs.
‘Jyoti’ has been conceived with the idea of breaking this vicious circle with the help of NGOs such as Ashirbad who are involved in treating these drug addicts through medicine, counseling, meditation, life style changes etc.
Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate is presently sponsoring the treatment of more than 54 such drug addicts at Ashirbad. We also plan to bring more such drug addicts for treatment and after they are released, we plan to hand hold them with support of their family and try to ensure that they don’t relapse into crime and use their energy productively.
We also plan to put sustained pressure on drug peddlers in the area to eliminate availability of drugs in the area.
We sincerely hope that this new initiative will transform the lives of these youth and their families from life of darkness to life full of happiness. We look forward to your support in this initiative.
The process of working of JYOTI
• Identification of the victims from the drug affected areas by the local police
• To persue them and their parents/guardians to send them for treatment at the de addiction center.
• To admit the said victims in the nearest De addiction center and to carry on the minimal expense of there treatment.
• To maintain a detailed record and track of the progress of treatment of these victims by the local police
• To interact in regular intervals with the victims in order to encourage them in this fight and to inspire them to join in this fight to cure this menace from the society.
• To return them to their normal social life after there cure and arrange for their livelihood so that they can survive as good citizens.
• To keep in touch with this victim so that they can permanently leave the dark road of drugs and return to the light……..JYOTI.
2. Disha Jana Kalyan Kendra :
Lachhipur under Kulti Police Station is considered as the oldest red light area in this part of the country which was set up even before Sonagachhi of Kolkata. The Zaminders of Belrui settled a group of Baizees from Benaras, Ghaziabad, Lucknow of Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Bihar at Sitarampur. Gradually Chobka and Lachhipur, two adjoining villages gave accommodation to sex workers of various parts of the country. At present, nearly 1,500 sex workers (including flying sex workers) are attached to these centers. Earlier a section of police and local goons used to exploit them and they had no sense of health and hygiene. Moreover, after a certain age they had no other alternative but to become the brothel keeper. In 1994 the then Asansol Police started DISHA to provide guidance regarding health & hygiene particularly sexually transmitted diseases.
The projects that are being run by Disha Jana Kalyan Kendra are:
i) Primary Education for the children
Disha has undertaken a project for primary education of the children of that locality in Bengali and Hindi. 174 children are enrolled for this education from Class I to Class IV. There are 05 (five) teachers.
ii) Adult Literacy programme
This project is continuing to make the local community as well as CSWs (Commercial Sex Workers) literate.
ii) 24 Hours Ambulance Service
Disha maintains an ambulance which is being used by the local community on a subsidized rate.
iii) Homoeopathy Clinic
Dr. Pabitra Chowdhury – member of Disha runs this clinic voluntarily.
iv) Vocational Training
A vocational training centre for CSWs and adolescent girls of the community is continuing to train stitching and knitting.
v) Art & Craft
A training centre for the children of the community is continuing both at Sitarampur and Lachhipur Unit. Around 50 students attend classes regularly.
vi) Hole in the Wall Project
A project for drop out / illiterate students to teach computer programmes through games. This also enables them to become computer savvy. The project has been developed by NIIT.
vii) Computer Training Centre
To make the children of the locality computer friendly, a project is continuing at Disha with two computer sets. The basic idea is to provide them the basic knowledge of computer operation.
viii) SUCHITA
Well before the launching of Total Sanitation Programme by the Government of India to provide sanitary latrine to the villagers, Disha undertook a project of mass sanitation programme at Lachhipur and developed a Pay & Use Toilet at the heart of red light area. Earlier, the residents had no toilet for their use. This has provided the residents as well as the clients visiting the area a hygienic atmosphere. It has also become a sustainable programme of Disha. Subsequently, another similar Pay & Use Toilet has been developed at the Chobka red light area.
ix) Mid Day Meal Project
Recently Disha got recognition from Zilla Parishad, Barddhaman as a centre for Mid Day Meal Project. All students are being provided with Mid Day Meal as per government programme.
x) ICDS
A new project is going to be started under the Integrated Child Development Scheme of Government of West Bengal.
PROJECTS UNDER WBSACS
DISHA JANA KALYAN KENDRA was selected in 1999 by CARE India as a centre of work to eradicate HIV/ AIDS. Subsequently, West Bengal State AIDS Control & Prevention Society under NACO (National AIDS Control Organization) selected Disha for the same purpose. Now, Disha is implementing projects for the said purpose. A fund of about Rs. 20 lakh was received in the last financial year to run the project.
xi) Targetted Intervention Project
This project is basically an awareness programme on STD / HIV/ AIDS. Regular interaction with CSWs and their partners/ clients, awareness programme through counseling, group discussion, puppet show, cultural programmes are regularly held for the purpose. Regular collection & analysis of blood samples, basic treatment, arrangement to send HIV/AIDS patients to ICTC at the Sub Divisional Hospital, Asansol are also done.
Free distribution and selling of condoms at a subsidized rate to the clients are regularly done under this project.
xii) ICTC
Cases confirmed by Integrated Counseling & Testing Centre for having positive HIV / AIDS are monitored under this project. The Counselors and doctors of the project look after treatment, counseling andsupply nutritious food & medicine. Such patients are also sent on a regular course to the ART Centre at Burdwan and Medical College, Kolkata for better treatment.
3. Faiz – E – Aam :
Faiz – e – Aam means ‘open to all’. The area was notorious for criminal and communal activities. Even in the nineties local police had no access to that area. Organized criminals under the leadership of some dons (locally known as Stars) ruled the area and made the live of common people miserable. The then Asansol Police gradually took control of that area. An organization named as Faiz – e – Aam was formed under the chairmanship of Shri Soumen Mitra, IPS. The organization developed a small garden in Kasaimohalla which was basically a liquor and gambling den of the criminals.
Following are the activities of Faiz – e – Aam:
i) DESTINY Computer Centre –a centre of computer learning, inaugurated in 2005. The centre has got affiliation recently from West Bengal Board of Technical Education. Nearly 250 students of that locality, mostly from poor Muslim families are learning computer at the nominal charges at that centre.
ii) Faiz – e – Am – Masturat – Merkaz – a centre for Muslim girls and women for learning stitching & knitting. A kindergarten school is also running at that centre.
iii) Ambulance Service – a 24 hours ambulance service is available at a nominal cost at Railpar to serve the weaker section of the society.
iv) Hole In the Wall – a project for drop out / illiterate students to acquaint them with computers. This also enables them to become computer savvy. The project has been developed by NIIT. This is the first unit of this kind in West Bengal.
v) Banking Service – The Faiz – e – Aam committee took the initiative of opening a full fledged bank at Asansol Railpar. Accordingly Andhra Bank started functioning at Quraishi Mohalla as an extension counter. Recently, the branch has been converted into a full fledged independent unit due to persuasion from Asansol Police.
vi) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Urdu Library & Career Guidance Centre – The only Urdu Library which was functioning from 1946 from a mud built house was renovated recently and a career guidance centre has been developed to ensure placement of poor and meritorious students of the locality.
vii) Faiz – e – Aam Ground – In order to promote communal harmony through sports and games an abandoned dumping ground of Eastern Railway adjacent to Asansol Railpar was developed into a 2 Km. stretch play ground by Asansol Police. All the children of the mohalla who had practically no playground in their locality got a piece of land for their activities.
viii) Kanad Mukherjee Memorial Cricket Tournament – A knockout Annual Cricket Tournament in the memory of Late Kanad Mukherjee, WBPS has been started at initiative of the Faiz – e – Aam committee to promote communal harmony through sports and games in the locality.
ix) Musturat Azimabadi Memorial Football Tournament – A knockout Football Tournament in the memory of Late Musturat Azimabadi has been started at the behest of Faiz – e – Aam committee to promote communal harmony through sports and games in the locality.
x) Faiz – e – Aam Art Academy – A centre for arts and crafts is continuing at Destiny Computer Centre to develop creativity amongst the local children which is now doing well under the guidance of eminent artists.
xi) Kanad Mukherjee Memorial Motor Driving School – A centre of motor driving is being developed to inculcate motor driving skills to the youths of the locality.
4. GUNJAN :
A barren widespread area with an abandoned OCP (Open Cast Project of coal mining) which was serving as a rendezvous of the criminals and anti-socials has since been transformed into a beautiful picturesque park styled as Gunjan in 1995 by Police initiative and effort,. Aforestation with a number of trees and pisciculture at the water body of the abandoned OCP has been made. A children park has been developed at the place and maintained well. The area has become a lucrative tourist spot as well as the place of interest for children.
(i) Children’s Park: A children’s park with some rides is an attraction of the citizen’s of Asansol.
(ii) Anglers’ Club: An anglers’ club has been started at Gunjan on payment of an annual subscription of Rs 2500 by each member. Common people can also avail the of the opportunity of angling on payment of Rs 100 per day.
(iii) Mini Zoo: A mini zoo was functioning at Gunjan with deer, birds etc which is being closed gradually for the want of NOC from the appropriate authority. Central Zoo Authority is being moved for getting a license in favour of Gunjan to run a Nature Interpretation and Rescue Centre for the wild life and for a mini zoo.
(iv) Seasonal Birds Observation: Gunjan Ecological Park gradually attracted migratory birds during the winter months. Bird watchers and nature lovers come here to see migratory birds. Last year nearly 2000 birds of different variety including Lesser Whistling-duck, Common Teal, Northern Shoveler,Cotton Pygmy-Goose,Red-Crested Pochard were seen at the lake. Apart from migratory birds Gunjan is the home of different variety of flora and fauna.
5. UDICHI Police Cooperative Consumers’ Store:
An air-conditioned departmental store is run by the then Asansol Police to provide grocery articles at a cheaper price. Due to paucity of space a new project has been launched to expand the store on the first floor. In spite of the existence of other shopping malls at the city, common people prefer to come to UDICHI which was built basically to develop police – public relationship.
6. Sarat Mancha:
An auditorium with a capacity of 700 spectators located at Asansol Police Lines named as Sarat Mancha is gradually becoming the centre of cultural activities of Asansol Town area. Efforts are being made to install a movie projector at Sarat Mancha at the earliest.
