‘Happiness workshop’ for UP cops to cope with stress

Moradabad, Sep 23 (IANS) Police stations in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad city conducted a 'happiness workshop' with an aim to sort out personal and professional problems of the police personnel.

This is being done in the wake of the recent increase in the number of police personnel committing suicide.

Inspector-general (IG) of Moradabad Range, Ramit Sharma, said: "To deliver his best, it is quite necessary for a policeman that he remains in a good state of mind and tension-free. Once a cop is cheerful and calm, only then he would be able to pass happiness among distressed people who approach him in times of difficulties. With this cause in mind, we have organized the 'happiness workshops' where experts gave tips on well being and happiness."

The workshop, organized recently, was attended by 190 cops including ASPs, Circle Officers, Station House Officers, Sub-Inspectors, Constables and followers of five districts under the Moradabad Range.

The workshop was addressed by Ruchi Kapoor from the Holistic Wellbeing Counselling Services & Psychological Assessment Center.

IG Sharma is convinced that this initiative would bring fruitful results and once the pilot project is a success, he would recommend the same to be implemented in other districts too.

The workshop was an interactive session with police personnel who shared difficulties they face every day.

"Policing is highly stressful and a challenging job. Huge amount of public dealing, that too of bizarre disputes of varying degrees, is involved in it. The only mantra for stress management that lies in ancient wisdom with modern application," Kapoor said.

"I asked the cops to first focus on resolving differences, if any, they have in their personal lives, family and with their junior or senior colleagues. Start delegating tasks to their life partners, family members and subordinates in order to keep their stress levels down. Once they are calm, they will be able to tackle even the most complicated matters."

The cops have been asked to practice meditation to keep them relaxed.

Another speaker Manu Misra, a physical trainer at a private university, advised how policemen can keep themselves fit.

"For a policeman, physical fitness comes first. It drives the mental fitness. We see cops performing duty while standing for six to eight hours and sometimes even beyond that. It requires immense amount of stamina. There are hundreds of policemen who spend nights in police vans having little space even to stretch their arms and legs," he said.