Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Mar 10: Albeit serving all tiers of security at par with Police personnel, indolence of the UT administration in ensuring timely revision of wages and grant of other facilities has created resentment among the huge Home Guards’ force in these islands. While the wages of daily rated workers in all categories are hiked every six months, the Home Guard personnel serving various parts of these islands have been left devoid of the benefit for more than a year now. Besides, the personnel are also not granted allowances for uniforms, shoes and other apparels, as per reports.
“Welfare of Home Guard personnel remains far from ensured in this territory. The daily wages of Home Guards was hiked from Rs 284 to Rs 318 in January 2014. But there has been no further revision since then, even though the wages of ordinary daily rated workers are revised after every six months. We perform duties for more than 12 hours a day, higher than the Police personnel. We are deputed for VIP duties and weekly drills are conducted as done for police personnel. But in terms of welfare measures, we lag far behind from them. For our 3 years of engagement, we are provided with only one uniform and a pair of shoes. In case of any wear and tear, we have to shell out money from our own pockets for the repairs,” said a Home Guard personnel requesting anonymity.
“To add to our woes, the preference accorded to Home Guards in Police recruitments have been done away with. After serving as Home Guards for three years, we fail to secure jobs as daily rated workers in other departments. We are forced to penury and it becomes extremely difficult for us to run our families. We pin hoped on the administration that it will one day take our concerns sincerely and will consider revision of wages in every six months,” lamented another, who too didn’t want his name to be quoted.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha, a senior Police official, requesting anonymity, said that the Home Guard force comes under the ambit of Civil Defence. “The Police Department has no defined role in the welfare of the force and the funding is looked after by the UT administration. The Police is responsible only for providing training and allotting duties to the Home Guards.”
