Lucknow: A meeting of the Uttar Pradesh Gram Chowkidar Sabha was held at Khurram Nagar Chauraha, where participants strongly demanded a substantial increase in the salaries of village watchmen (chowkidars). The gathering took place at S.K. Palace and was attended by several dignitaries and social representatives.
Addressing the gathering, chief guest Gopal Rai called for raising the monthly salary of village chowkidars to ₹25,000, highlighting their crucial role in maintaining grassroots-level vigilance and security.
Speakers at the event pointed out that the department, established in 1861 even before the formal police system, has not progressed as expected over the years. It was also alleged that the neglect of the department is partly due to the fact that a large number of employees belong to Scheduled Castes.
Participants emphasized that a chowkidar is responsible for the safety and monitoring of the entire village, working throughout the month despite official records often showing only limited duty days. They expressed concern that in case of any untoward incident, chowkidars are frequently held accountable and even required to appear in court proceedings.
Serious issues were also raised regarding working conditions. It was alleged that chowkidars have often been made to perform menial tasks at police stations, including cleaning work. Concerns were voiced about their safety as well, with claims that sensitive information provided by them has sometimes been disclosed, putting their lives at risk.
The सभा further highlighted that despite a written assurance in 2017 to provide a salary of ₹10,500 per month, the promise remains unfulfilled. Currently, chowkidars reportedly receive only ₹2,500 per month. Participants noted that while salaries in several other departments have been revised, village watchmen continue to be overlooked.
The meeting urged the Vishva Hindu Raksha Parishad to extend support and raise the issue at higher levels to ensure justice for chowkidars.
Among those present were Manish Rai, Om Shankar Gupta, Himanshu Dhawal, Jitendra Narayan, Deepak Yadav, and Pankaj Agrawal from the Parishad, along with Anoop Tripathi, chief of the Chowkidar Seva Samiti, and several other prominent members of the community.
