We risk our lives on duty, Rs 2,000 monthly pay not enough: Uttarakhand’s gram praharis

Nainital: In April 2014, gram prahari Daya Kishan Pandey caught two men carrying guns and gas cutters trying to rob a bank in Haldwani’s Gaula Par area and chased them to Kathgodam, armed only with his licensed revolver. The robbers were arrested the next day at Kathgodam Railway Station. For nine years, as a gram prahari, Pandey has been the first responder to all sorts of mishaps. His job involves tipping off police about crimes, helping them trace drugs, etc. When the Covid pandemic broke out, Pandey recorded details of every person coming from outside. Along with several other gram praharis, Pandey has written to authorities including MLAs, the chief minister and even the Prime Minister, for an increase in pay, but to no avail.

The monthly pay of gram praharis in Uttarakhand is currently Rs 2,000. It used to be Rs 1,200 for gram praharis in revenue areas and was increased to Rs 2,000 just this month. “The monthly pay of gram praharis should be increased to at least Rs 10,000. We live with the stigma of being a police informant, putting our lives at risk to protect others but we have to rely on other professions to earn a living,” said Pandey.

“We are the ones to inform police and district administration about whatever happens in villages. When the pandemic was at its peak, we ensured precautions were maintained. We put ourselves in constant danger for monthly salaries that are less than daily wages,” said Harish Ram Arya, another gram pahari.

Pandey added that on top of low pay, there was no provision in the contract of gram praharis for their families to receive benefits should they die while on duty.

“We are the people at the frontlines, dealing with robberies and drug-related crimes. In fact, many praharis have died helping people during disasters. However, there is no provision to help our families in the event of our death on duty,” said Pandey.


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