Guwahati: The Assam government has approved an intensive medical check-up of obese policemen at government medical colleges in the state.
In the first Body Mass Index (BMI) test conducted by the Assam Police in August, 97.53 per cent of participants passed, but the rest of the security personnel were found to be obese.
The state Director General of Police (DGP), GP Singh, told IANS on Monday, “The state government has approved an intensive medical check of all obese personnel at government medical colleges. This would be done within this month.”
He added, “After that, we would work out medical and nutritional intervention, including bringing such people to police locations with adequate medical and nutritional supervision.”
Earlier, Singh announced that police personnel who were found in the obese category in the BMI test conducted in August would be given another three-months to shed the extra weight.
The top cop also said that those who were found to be obese at the end of the November deadline would be offered the mandatory Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS).
Singh added, “My aim is to improve, not to harass. Only those who show no inclination to change would be offered VRS.”
The professional recording of BMI was done for all officers, battalions, and other staff of the police department in the previous month. The DGP was the first state policeman to record his BMI.
Notably, the Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, also said that people with obesity cannot continue working in the state police department. Such police personnel will be offered VRS following the government procedure.
–IANS