In a direct response to the blistering heatwaves gripping the region, the Moga police has begun distributing portable ice boxes and high-capacity water coolers to personnel stationed on field duty.The distribution was funded through the Police Welfare Fund. This initiative specifically targets traffic police, checkpoint teams and patrolling units who spend the majority of their shifts exposed to the harsh reality of roadside duty​The initiative highlights the extreme conditions that ground-level officers endure. While the general public is advised to stay indoors during peak sun hours, police officials face ​extreme thermal stress, said Ajay Gandhi, Moga SSP, adding standing on blacktop roads that can reach temperatures significantly higher than the ambient air need special care for on duty employees.​In the absence of cooling equipment, drinking water becomes hot within an hour and food brought from home often gets spoilt in the heat.​Many crucial checkpoints are located at intersections with no natural shade or nearby buildings, leaving officers with no respite from the UV rays.​By providing dedicated ice boxes, the department is ensuring that officers can carry cold water, ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) and fresh meals that stay preserved for the duration of an 8 to 12-hour shift.​ “It is a basic necessity, but on the roadside, it becomes a luxury,” said one officer stationed at a busy Moga junction. “Having a dedicated ice box means we don’t have to leave our posts to search for cold water or rely on the heat-stricken supply we carry in plastic bottles.”​This move is being viewed as more than just a logistical update — it is a significant boost to departmental morale. By addressing the physical discomfort of ‘men in khaki’, the leadership is acknowledging the human cost of maintaining law and order during a harsh Indian summer.​The Moga Police have signalled that more such welfare measures are in the pipeline, ensuring that those who protect the public are themselves protected from the rising mercury.