Come July 1, over 3,200 outsourced security guards in the Haryana Health Department are set to lose their jobs as they will be replaced by Home Guards volunteers. The Commandant-General and Director-General, Civil Defence, Haryana Government, in a communication to the Director-General Health Services (DGHS) on May 19, conveyed his acceptance of the state government’s request to deploy Home Guard volunteers for the security of medical and paramedical staff in district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres.
On May 13, the DGHS, in a letter to the Commandant-General, had requested him to deploy Home Guards at government hospitals apparently for better security of the medical and paramedical staff in view of attacks on the medical fraternity. Meanwhile, Subhash Lamba, president of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh (SKS), alleged that the decision was “unjustified and inhuman” at a time when the security personnel were fighting the war against the COVID-19 pandemic along with the frontline warriors.
“It is another injustice with the working class by the Khattar government, which had failed to honour its commitment of protecting the livelihood of the poorer sections of society,” Lamba lamented. Earlier, the Health Department wanted Home Guards to be deployed at government hospitals by March 31. However, the proposal was kept pending in view of the COVID-19 crisis and strong opposition from the employees’ unions.
