Sir,
The J&K Police vide PHQ’s Order No. 86 of 1990 dated: 05-12-1990 had regularized the services of Volunteers’ Home Guards (VHGs). Since then till date no such order has been issued. The volunteers enrolled thereafter as Home Guards are waiting impatiently for such an order. Though the duty allowance of a VHG was enhanced from Rs 45.00 per day to Rs 60.00 per day during the call up duty of 90 days in a year vide J&K Government order No. 123 Home 2011 dated 09-02-2011. But it is insufficient as well as against the mandates of Minimum Wages Act.
The VHGs render their duty with honesty and dedication round the clock even in hard and adverse situations like the jawans of other belt forces. To increase their knowledge, experience and skills they attend the training camps also whenever and where ever the higher authorities desire. But it is difficult for the VHGs to meet their both the ends with such a meager amount paid to them by the Government. One may fully imagine the poor condition of a volunteer in which he tries to perform his domestic duty. How he manages the domestic expenses mainly relating to the fundamentals like food, clothes, education and medical of his family members only he knows. Precisely, VHGs in J&K are passing their life in extreme miseries. They have been knocking relentlessly at the doors of concerned higher authorities at State as well as Centre level for over two decades for their most genuine demand of regularization fulfilled. They demand that they should be treated at par with other jawans of belt forces. But the fruitful results still seem far away. Except some paper work and few assurances nothing has been done by any quarter in the long pending matter. Though, they are vigorously agitating and struggling at every level. Yet, none is here to pay any attention towards their woeful screams.
Even the Minister of Home Affairs Communication and Information Technology (Govt of India) in its letter dated 24th February 2011 had requested Omar Abdullah Chief Minister J&K to look into the matter personally and consider the case sympathetically for regularization of 2nd batch of VHGs at par with Ist batch as well as at par with their counterparts of Punjab and Haryana. But the sympathetic personal consideration of the Chief Minister is still awaited.
The concerned authorities at all levels now should not hesitate to take prompt and favourable decision in the long delayed painful issue. The noble act of the higher ones would provide solace to the VHGs as well as their family members. Otherwise, great injustice is being done to them by the elite holding the responsible chairs.
Yours etc…
Swatantra Dev Kotwal
(Advocate) Udhampur
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