Kalaburagi: The stereotypical image of the man in khaki – pot-bellied, lazily lumbering along streets wielding a lathi or idly chatting at a busy street corner while puffing at a beedi, may soon not fit the Kalaburgi city policeman if Superintendent of Police N Shashikumar has his way.
Acting on the orders of Director General of Police, Neelamani S Raju to pay attention to the physical and mental health of policemen, Mr Shashikumar has launched a “Healthy Police for Healthy Society” programme comprising of daily yoga sessions and physical excercise for the men in khaki not only to trim their waistlines but also help them fight diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
The programme is also intended to help the policemen give up alcohol and gutka. “The policemen suffer from a lot of health problems as they lead stressful and indisciplined lives owing to their long and odd hours of duty,” explains Mr Shashikumar.
When police men and women from the rank of constable to ASI were screened in 12 police stations in the city, it was found that around 80 men were over the prescribed weight of 87 kgs and around 20 women were over 70 kgs. “We also found that some were not only pot- bellied, but also suffered from various health problems,” the officer adds.
The health checks were followed by daily outdoor and indoor exercise routines including yoga, walking, jogging, both in the morning and evening for a month. The result has been encouraging.
“One week after the launch of the programme, when we held a walkathon for these men and women for a distance of 14 kms, many found it extremely difficult to cover it. In the second week there was some improvement even when the distance was increased to 22 kms. Last Sunday when the distance was extended to 35kms, around 70 persons covered it in the time limit set, while the rest reached the flag post after a while. This is highly encouraging, ” adds a satisfied Mr Shashikumar.
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