Stay fit or else retire: Commissionerate Police to all cops

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to make COVID frontline warriors fit physically, Twin City Commissionerate Police has asked its employees to add regular exercise to their daily routine to fight the deadly virus.

Closely analyzing various reasons for COVID-19 deaths in Odisha, all the police personnel under Commissionerate Police have been ordered to stay fit during pandemic or else chose to retire from service.

The COVID-19 has affected entire world. Taking lesson from the situation, we need to take care of our health by bringing change in our present lifestyle. Our employees are found very sporty before they join the police service. Afterward, their fitness degrades for which they suffer from various life threatening ailments like hypertension, diabetes and obesity in course of time. Since persons with co-morbid conditions are more vulnerable to COVID-19, the police personnel with other health complications need to be more careful, an order issued by Commissionerate Police stated.

As per the order, all the employees need to undergo height and weight test mandatorily next week. They will be informed about their present BMI (Body Mass Index). The police personnel will be catagorised as obese if their BMI exceeds 30. The process will continue till July 30. The health details will be in the record with police dispensary. Again, similar test will be conducted on them after 3 months in November this year. If they will be found BMI of 30 and above in the test, they will be asked for complete workout or they have to join a six-month refresher course to reduce their healthy weight.

Necessary action will be taken against the employee if they fail to obey the fitness formula given by the Commissionerate Police.

Either the increment of employee may be put on hold or he/she may be given mandatory retirement on health ground if necessary, the order stated.

However, Commissioner of Police suggested all frontline warriors including doctors and media personnel dealing with the deadly virus to focus on their physical fitness.

“The guideline is not only for police personnel, but also for everyone to become physically fit. It is found that COVID-19 is targeting people with co-morbid conditions. Even if the virus will naturally drive itself to extinction, a new virus may pose threat to patients with multiple comorbidities in future. Therefore, regular exercise is required for everyone to prevent ailments,” said Police Commissioner Sudhansu Sarangi.