Mangalore: Home Guards Staff Allege Non-payment of Salaries, Stage Protest
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Aug 13: The home guard staff and their family members on Monday August 13 began a 24-hour protest meet in front of the DC’s office here to condemn the attitude of the senior officials of the home guards department for not paying their salary for duties on the day of Ayodhya Ram Mandir verdict in 2010, National Youth Festival earlier this year, and on other special occasions like Shivaratri, Krishnashtami, Ganesh Chathurti, and so on.
Kumari Renuka Kateel, convener of the Home Guard staff’ Horata Samiti, said that district home guard commandant Dr Nidarsh Hegde has been 'torturing' the staff and has indulged in corruption without paying their due salary.
"He should be terminated and a new district commandant should be appointed. A few staff members have not been paid salary from three months. Currently they are getting Rs 175 as daily wages and their work is only for three months a year. However, they are not allowed to work anywhere, hence a minimum of Rs 500 per day should be fixed as wages," she said.
She further said that the home guards department should come under the commissionerate and their duty should be regularized. "Even home guards staff should be provided with ration cards like their police counterparts. Bus pass, accommodation, medical facilities should also be provided," she said.
"Women staff on night duty are not given transport facility. Their duty hours should be fixed, and they should be given uniforms, shoes, helmets and raincoats," she added.
Protestors said that their appeal to home guard DGP and commandant general Om Prakash, and the chief minister had gone futile. They added they had also filed an RTI seeking information on the non-payment of their salaries, but did not receive any reply.
The protestors alleged that commandant Dr Nidarsh Hegde had earlier sent a circular threatening the staff not to take part in Monday's protest, and hence the number of protestors was less. The protest was held under the banner of CITU.