Angry with the State Government allegedly sitting on their long-pending seven-point charter of demands, scores of Uttarakhand Gram Prahari Union (UGPU) members rallied to the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday.
The protesters assembled at the Parade Ground and marched towards the Vidhan Sabha, shouting slogans against the alleged apathy of the State Government regarding their plight. However, they were stopped at the police barricade at Rispana. The administration had put into place elaborate security arrangements. Adequate police personnel were deployed at the barricade to maintain law and order. Stopped at the barricade, they sat on demonstration there.
The leaders of the agitating bodies addressed the gatherings during which they slammed the State Government for its indifference to their grievances. The protesters demanded the State Government to take measures to meet their demands that include regular salaries, regular services in police department, uniform and rights under labour laws, among others.
The protesters said that they should be given salary on monthly basis through bank accounts. A senior UGPU member Puran Singh Rawat said that despite CM Harish Rawat having announced in Tehri in 2015 to make gram prahari multipurpose employees, no action has been taken so far. He demanded the State government to issue the requisite order without delay.
He further said that all gram praharis should be insured by the State government. They should be given allowances if they are deputed on election, school and other duties, he said, adding that gram praharis should be regularised as forth class employees in the government departments.
He said that gram praharis are being deployed on various duties like election, school, local mela and others from time to time.
The association’s vice- president PR Baruni said, “Our plight is miserable. For instance, the village watchmen under the revenue areas are getting a paltry Rs 600 per month. last year, the State government had increased it by Rs 100 per month. Previously, it was Rs 500. By way of contrast, the village watchmen under regular police area are getting Rs 1000 per month. This is an instance of gross discrimination against us,” he said.
Another protester said that they keep vigil in the villages to stop crimes and inform local police about them. “Village watchmen report crimes to the local police station, Revenue Police, Nayab Tehsildar, Tehsildar and others on regular basis. We are not paid adequately when deployed on election and other government works,” he said.
“Moreover, we receive a frightfully paltry Rs 600 per month as wages. The payment is also erratic. We have not been paid for many months. One can imagine our plight with prices of commodities sky-rocketing. Before 2010, village watchman used to be paid Rs 200 per month. The State government has remained callous regarding our plight,” he said, adding that the number of such watchmen working in the State is over 3440 under the revenue area and 3500 under the regular police area.