Private security guards, who are an important constituent of Odisha’s security setup, have urged the State Government that they be treated as Covid-19 frontline workers (FLWs) and vaccinated at the earliest.
At present, there are around 2 lakh private security personnel working across the State. They are engaged in the hospitals, malls, factories, hotels, market complexes and residential complexes. They have also been trained in handling biomedical wastes, a crucial exercise during the Covid pandemic.
About 90 per cent of the private security personnel are in the age group of 25-45 years and there is a practical need that this critical workforce should be treated as FLWs and vaccinated on a priority basis. The private security guards have been roped in for the successful rollout of the vaccination drive, say stakeholders, but they wonder why the guards are left out of the vaccination list covering essential services workers in the first place. Odisha Private Security Agency Owners’ Association president Manas Choudhury has written to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this regard.
While complimenting the State Government for handling the Covid-19 pandemic in a much better manner than the other States, he has requested to consider the private security guards as FLWs and extend them the required benefits being provided by the State Government.
Choudhury has also requested the Chief Minister to declare them as Covid warriors and provide them with a vaccine. He has requested the CM to direct officials to work in conjunction with his organisation and make sure that these essential services workers are treated in a fair and respectful manner.
