Musical chairs for jail chiefs in Mangaluru, no pay for Home Guards

Mangaluru: The transfer of three jail superintendents in the last three months might not have bothered the undertails in Mangaluru prison. But it has certainly hit the 15 home guards who have been deputed on duty at the prison. They have not received their honorarium for three months.

The district prison has deployed 15 Home Guards on duty at the jail to make up for the shortage of staff. Each Home Guard serves for eight hours a day and is given an honorarium of Rs 325. But the 15 home guards have not received their honorarium since July. 

Probe into the problem led to the classic example of how bureaucracy works in our country and how small “technical problems” can delay the payment of honorarium. 

The problem is because of frequent transfer of jail superintendents. After Mr Krishnamurthy was transferred in July, the district prison had two superintendents who too were transferred within a few days of taking charge. On September 18, Mr Parameshwar took charge as the new superintendent of the prison. “As per the procedure, the Digital Signature Card (DSC) of the jail superintendent is necessary for several payments related to the prison, including the payment of honorarium for the Home Guards. But before the two jail superintendents got their DSC, they were transferred and the honorarium of the home guards, telephone bills and other such expenses are pending for the last three months,” sources said.

“I took charge about 20 days ago and within two days of me getting my DSC, all the home guards will be given their honorarium,” Mr Paramesh told Deccan Chronicle.

The Procedure of transfer of DSC takes some time. Home Guard Commandant Murali Mohan Chunthar, who came to know about the problem, visited the prison on Tuesday and collected details from prison officials.

“We have spoken to the officials. We have been assured by the officials that the problem will be resolved and the payments will be made shortly,” he said.