Security staff in insecure state

Most of the 181 bomb squad personnel are on contract basis

The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad personnel recruited in 2009 draw the same pay they were getting when they joined service.— File PHoto

They are a critical cog in the State’s security apparatus. They clear the routes of VIPs, do anti-sabotage checks and detect and neutralise bombs.

Yet, 24 years after the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) was formed as part of the Tamil Nadu Police in 1991, its sanctioned strength of 181 has not been filled with permanent personnel. Most of the serving staff are ex-servicemen employed on contract basis.

The services of these personnel, who ensure security of the Governor, Chief Minister, former Chief Ministers and clear the routes of VIPs visiting the state, have not been regularised since 2009.

It was following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 that the government realised the need for a specialised team to neutralise bombs. The BDDS was established with a sanctioned strength of 181. As there was a dearth of ex-servicemen from the technical wing of the Army, its personnel were recruited in small batches once in two years.

While ex-servicemen recruited on contract basis till 2007 have been regularised in the Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Service, those recruited since 2009 continue to be on contract, even as contemporary regular policemen have gone up the hierarchy.

The DGP is authorised to give extension to these personnel only up to three years. Employment of recruits since 2009 is being controlled by the Principal Secretary of the Home Department.

Though there has been official communication in the Police department, these personnel have not been regularised so far and they continue to serve on the same pay they were getting when they joined. Only a risk allowance of Rs. 3,000 was extended by the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in 2011-12.

Top police officials contacted by The Hindu preferred not to comment on the issue.

“Two of the contract personnel died during service, but they did not get any solatium as they were on contract. We face a serious risk every day as we tackle bomb scares and other security threats. We only want our jobs to be regularised,” a BDDS member told The Hindu.

The BDDS was pressed into service 644 and 381 times during 2013 and 2012 respectively. Being an elite unit of the Tamil Nadu Commando School it also provides training to police personnel and other central government agencies like Customs and nationalised banks in anti-sabotage measures and bomb detection.