Are you someone who is aspiring to don the khaki uniform for service but cannot afford to sacrifice your regular job? Then Home Guard could be the answer.
Formed in 1963 in the State following the Sino-Indian War, Home Guards has been a voluntary group of civilians including men and women, assisting police personnel during crisis situations such as crowd control, traffic management, VIP bandobast and assistance at rescue efforts.
Falling under the Directorate of Civil Defence of the Tamil Nadu Police, there are 11,622 Home Guards in the State including 2,750 women Home Guards. They comprise 105 companies including 80 men companies and 25 women companies.
According to S. Marimuthu of Home Guards, there are a total of 1,875 Home Guards in Chennai in 18 companies including five women companies and are headed by an Area General Commandant (AGC). “Any one who has attempted SSLC exams and below 50 years can apply for the post of a Home Guard. Police verifications are done on eligible candidates and the selected ones are given 30-day training before being pressed into duty,” said the officer.
M. Veeramani of the Home Guard says, “I'm a real estate dealer and I joined the Home Guards wing to do whatever little service I can to the public. I have done duty in temple festivals, cricket matches and also for traffic regulation.”
However, many Guards feel that the remuneration for the job is very less. “We accompany police personnel on night rounds and receive Rs. 75 for a night. For daytime duties we get Rs. 65 and for traffic duties it is Rs. 25. Parade sessions happen every first and third Sunday of the month and we receive a total of Rs. 50 for attending them. The pay is very less and therefore only some service minded souls come and join while youngsters shy away,” said a Home Guard from Egmore without revealing his identity.
Applications for Home Guards are invited at regular intervals through newspapers. Interested candidates can also approach the Home Guards office inside the Chintadripet police station on all working days to get application forms.
