Mohalla committees to be dissolved

Citing involvement of criminals and anti-social elements in local bodies, state decides to reconstitute the schemeA letter has been issued by the state government to every police station to dissolve all existing mohalla committees in their area, and reconstitute the mohalla after checking the credentials of persons who wish to be members of the committee.u00a0The first mohalla committee, which was formed in Bhiwandi after the 1984 riots, helped the police maintain law and order.u00a0After the 1992-93 riots, such committees were formed in the jurisdiction of every police station. Off late, the committees, which were to comprise of influential citizens in the area under a police station, and expected to mediate when there was a communal conflagration, had been hijacked by gangsters and police informers.u00a0 Taking Charge: Minister of State (Urban) Arif Naseem KhanThe decision to dissolve the committees was taken at meetings by Arif Naseem Khan, the Minister of State for Home (Urban), with some ministers and the police recently.u00a0Rules floutedCommittee norms, which stipulate that only working professionals with no political connections, teachers, professors and temple trustees would be allowed as members in the committees, have been flouted according to Khan.u00a0 Said Arif Naseem Khan, Following several complaints from NGOs, social workers, individuals and policemen, we have found that the committee has been ruined by anti social elements. The committees should be set afresh with new members who have political or criminal antecedents. We have sent letters to all the police stations to dissolve existing mohalla committees immediately.Mumbai police commissioner Hasan Gafoor said, We have not received the orders yet. But as soon as we get it, we will act upon it.How a mohalla committee works?Committee members regularly inform police present at Mohalla meetings about local troublemakers and also sound out cops on trouble brewing in their locality.u00a0The senior police inspector of the police station or a concerned officer is deployed to look after the meetings and act accordingly.