the goan I network
PANAJI
Home Guards, many of who toil on the streets to regulate traffic in adverse weather conditions will have to celebrate a frugal Christmas season this year as nearly 1,380 of them have not received their honorarium for the month of November.
Some Catholic Home Guards, who hail from poor families, have borrowed money from their colleagues to celebrate the festival this year.
Several agitated home guards, who spoke on condition anonymity fearing their expulsion, lamented that issues they raise have fallen on deaf ears and the administration is neglecting them.
The Home Guards work to assist Goa police personnel to manage traffic, perform other police department chores and also work with Emergency services.
They are compensated with honorarium but routinely, their payment is delayed and several of them have to work during the festivals as they are not entitled to any leave of absence.
They are also not entitled to any ‘sick leave’ and get paid honorarium only after they submit to the government a list of days they have worked, duly verified by a supervisory police officer.
Earlier on multiple occasions the State government has assured to solve the issues raised by the home guards, but nothing has been done yet, they said.
