PUNE: The women 's vigilance committee in Dattawadi area near Parvati is an example of what community policing and some out-of-the-box thinking by cops can achieve.

The area is infamous for frequent law and order problems. But the locality is experiencing some sense, thanks to the all-women vigilance committee and 14 sub-committees that overlook four major slums in the surroundings.

The vigilance committee and sub-committees comprise 62 women. They stay in constant touch with the police and try to address the everyday problems faced by women here. Committee heads said that family fights, eve-teasing and other problems faced by women have come down to half since the committees were formed last year.

"The police and committee members meet at the Janata Vasahat police chowkey on every first Saturday of the month. Women living in slums told the police about the problems they face on a daily basis. Among other things, many of them had jobless husbands who made life difficult for them. Hence, the Dattawadi police officials and members of the Adarsh Mitra Mandal decided to bring all these women under one umbrella and empower them. Thus the Mahila Dakshata Samiti was formed in May last year," said Geeta Mohorkar, head of the Mahila Dakshata Samiti.

Senior police inspector Vijaysinh Gaikwad of the Dattawadi police station told TOI that slums in Dattawadi face serious crimes such as murder and rape, molestation of girls and women, to name a few. "It is to lessen this sense of fear among women here that we decided to form these committees. At times, women feared approaching the police for help. Hence, the committees were formed on the premise that women should be empowered enough to be able to solve their own problems," said Gaikwad.

On most occasions, the committee members try to solve the problems on their own. However, when it is beyond their reach, they approach the police. Gaikwad said that identity cards have been issued to all committee members that bear their names and addresses. "This gives them credibility," he said.

Geeta Mohorkar said that each of the 14 committees has two women as leaders who can communicate well. "These two women stay in touch with women at the grassroots level, keeping a vigil over their day-to-day activities. For instance, women in slums inform these leaders about family fights that they cannot resolve on their own," said Mohorkar.

Uday Jagtap of the Adarsh Mitra Mandal said that small crimes concerning women have gone down by around 25% since the committees were formed.

Mohorkar said the monthly meetings address problems faced by slum women as well as the committee members. "Problems that the committees address range from domestic fights, eve-teasing, gutkha or liquor addictions of slum children, missing children, teenage girls' issues and the like. The committee members are put through sessions wherein they are counseled and taught how to face problems and solve them," she said, adding that the committee leaders have got a morale boost and they no longer have to fear the police.

Mohorkar said that anti-social elements in slums are now scared of women members of the Mahila Dakshata Samiti. "This fear deters them from indulging in malicious activities. If a committee member makes a complaint to the police, it is addressed in the next 10 minutes. This even if the complaint is lodged at midnight," said Mohorkar.

The slums where the 14 committees have been formed include the Janata Vasahat slum, Dandekar slum, Survey number 999 and Survey number 130. For better administration, the police have divided the Janata Vasahat slum into eight parts, which includes Maruti mandir, Waghjai mandir, Shankar mandir, Sai mandir and the like.

The scent of hard work

As many as 50 women from the Janata Vasahat have been provided training in the art of making incense sticks (agarbattis). Each woman makes 2 kg incense sticks per day, which earns them about Rs 4,000 a month. Another 80 women are undergoing training. The incense sticks made here are exported to 17 countries.

