These days young students are seen making a beeline to a police station in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. No, not for lodging FIRs but to study! Surprising as it may seem, these students visit the Chandpa Police Station regularly to read books and study as it has a modern library with wifi facility. For this reason, the police station is now being called the ‘Malkhana of Books’.
2014-batch IPS officer and SP of Hathras, Vineet Jaiswal told Indian Msterminds that the library has been built with the help of the District Magistrate to provide students with a study-friendly environment.
WELL EQUIPPED LIBRARY
The library is well equipped with more than a thousand books on all subjects, ranging from literature, science, spirituality to law. There are relevant books for those appearing in different competitive examinations, too.
Talking with Indian Masterminds, SP Vineet Jaiswal said, “This is an effort in the direction of community policing. Chandpa is a rural area and there is no library in its vicinity. But there are many children out there who prepare for competitive exams. That’s why we thought of creating a library and I discussed the idea with the district administration. After receiving full support and funds from them, the library was set up. We have kept the best books for competitive exams here, those which students here normally cannot buy. Among others, there is also a corner specially for law books, where we have kept books on Posco Act and laws related to women, etc. ”
This initiative by Hathras Police aims to facilitate the young talent to nurture themselves alongside bolstering the police-community relationship in a big way, SP Jaiswal added.
The library was constructed at the police station for all students in and around Chandpa to give them a place to study in a proper environment with adequate facilities like books on different topics and wifi.
FIRST TIME IN HATHRAS
The library in a police station initiative is the first in Hathras. Mr. Jaiswal said, “We started this about 15 days back. So far very good response has been received. About 50 children had registered on the very first day itself. Hathras has been in the news for the last few days due to negative reasons. And this library is also in the same area where some untoward incidents took place. So now it is a good thing that people are studying there and taking this library step in a positive way.”
He further said that besides getting help from the administration for the funding, they got support from many social organizations also. “Many big schools gave books. Some have given furniture. The special thing is that there are many expensive and good books for competitive exams here, which many children cannot afford to buy. That’s why many children come here and keep studying from morning till evening.”
The library offers a clean and quiet environment for the students to study, with added facilities such as convenient seating arrangements, CCTV cameras, and water dispensers.
It has been set up so that the students of the rural area can sit at one place and prepare for various exams themselves.
STOREHOUSE OF BOOKS
Books of different topics are available in the library. Even books on competitive exams are kept for students to browse through and prepare. Some of the exams for which books are available are Civil Services, CTET, UPTET, Railway, Banking, SSC , B.ed, CAT, UPSSSC, Lekhpal, UPPolice Constable, UPSI, UPPSC RO ARO, UP PET, etc. They are available in both Hindi and English.
Other than this, stories, novels, autobiography, poems and various books related to crimes are also kept in the library. One interesting section in the library is the collection of more than 2500 books related to smart policing and law.
SEATING ARRANGEMENT
There is a seating arrangement for 15 students in the library at one time. And the best part is, the library service is completely free. Interested students in the vicinity can register themselves for library study. So far, about 50 students of the area – mostly girls – have registered.
