IMPHAL, January 20: The Manipur Home Guard Employees Welfare Association today alleged the State government of neglecting the home guards’ demand for increase of duty allowances by implementing a judgement and order of the Supreme Court dated March 11, 2015.
Association president Y Mangi and general secretary M Tiken called a press conference today in this connection and at the same time clarified on the recent rescheduling of the association’s general body meeting.
According to Mangi, the Supreme Court issued an order dated March 11, 2015 in Civil Appeal No. 2760 of 2015 regarding enhancement of their allowances to be implemented within three months at a shared ratio of 90 percent by Centre (Home Ministry/Security Related expenditures) and 10 percent by the State.
Yet despite this minimal contribution of the State share the State Home Department has been ignoring our plight and has not even given us an audience till date, he lamented.
We were compelled to file a case in this regard at the High Court Manipur in July 2015 as the State Home Department remained silent to this Supreme Court Order, he added.
We are 2194 members with more women members earning a meager amount of Rs 5,000 per month only despite our dedicated visibility at all the offices and residences of the VIPs and officials, he complained.
We have written/appraised to the Commandant General of Home Guard, Principal Secretary Home and Commandant Home Guard on April 8, 2015 to implement this order in Manipur, he added.
He said the association has also submitted a memorandum to the Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs and the Director General Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, MHA in this regard.
It is a struggling survival and this Supreme Court Order was an anticipated hope however the concern authorities and the Chief Minister have not pursued our case till date, he added.
We have submitted a memorandum on November 23, 2015 to the Chief Minister as well as the Deputy Chief Minister who also holds the Home portfolio. Unfortunately, there has been no progress on the case, he said.
Regarding the last minute postponing of the association’s general board meeting which was scheduled on January 17, Mangi said on the eve of the meeting at around 8pm, a special messenger delivered a written letter from the Commandant Homeguards to postpone the meeting, citing that since homeguards are officially under the department it will be mandatory to obtain prior permission to have such a meeting.
By then it was too late to announce through any medium and hence we resort to pasting the postponement notice at the scheduled venue which is the GM Hall. We regret that it caused a lot of inconveniences to our members who had come from all directions to attend the GB meeting, he said.
We humbly apologies to all, he said.
He said the main agenda of the meeting was to discuss the steps to be undertaken demanding implementation of the Supreme Court ruling in the State.
He lamented holding of such a meeting, which had been held several times in the past since the association was formed in 1999, has been suddenly asked to be held after getting prior official permission.
We will soon approach the authorities concerned including the Chief Secretary for permission and announce the new dates, he added.
The president also appealed to all its members to contribute not less than Rs 200 to the association so as to provide relief to affected families of the recent earthquake, for further pursuing of their court case and for the association’s welfare fund.
Tiken in the meantime also informed that the division commandant in charge Md Abdul Salam had called him to inform that the SP Thoubal wishes to meet him on January 17. However, when he wrote an explanation letter to the SP seeking permission to meet the next day as the association had a meeting on January 17, the SP told him that he (SP) had never summoned him and further assured to take action against Abdul Salam, he added.