Imphal, December 19: Home Guard personnel in the State who have been discharging their duties diligently have become a discontented lot as their demand for a raise in salary has not been fulfilled despite the approval of India Government, even as the Home Guard authorities have taken up steps for making new appointments.

It is said the Government of India had approved the suggestions to increase the monthly salary of Home Guard personnel from Rs 1500 to Rs 3000 besides another Rs 25 every month as working allowance.

But so far the State Government has not taken up any measures in this regard, unhappy Home Guard personnel complained.

The total strength of Home Guard personnel in the State at present is only 2350 as against the actual required strength of 3394, they informed..

The Director General Civil Defence and Fire Service, Union Ministry of Home Affairs in March this year had communicated to the Chief Secretary to increase the strength of the personnel as in other States to 3394.With the possibility of increasing the strength of Home Guard personnel with,, another 1044, the Home Guard authorities are trying to make new recruitment by sidelining the due rights of those personnel who have worked in the Department, but placed under suspension, thereby causing unhappiness among the Home Guards they said.

The disgruntled Home Guard personnel informed that in 1998, 800 Home Guard personnel were suspended from service.

After the suspended personnel approached the law court, the service of 400 personnel were reinstated.

The remaining 400 personnel are still fighting for their rights in the law court, and the Home Guard authorities trying to deny the rights by recruiting new personnel, they alleged.

If at all any recruitment have to be made, those who have been placed under suspension should be given the first preference, infuriated Home Guard personnel demanded, while decrying the attitude of the authorities in trying to side-line the issue.

A House Committee of the Assembly which was instituted to probe into corrupt practices and red tapism in the Home Guard Department had not only pointed oat the inherent weakness in the Department, but had also recommended increasing the strength of the Home Guard personnel, they recalled.

During the Winter Session of the Assembly in 2003, Chief Minister himself had given his assurance to put an end to corrupt practises and other mismanagement in the Department.

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