Chapter 2 (Manual 1)

Particulars of organisation functions and duties

2.1 Objective During World War-II, ‘Home Guards’ – a voluntary citizen organisation for local defence was raised in the United Kingdom. In , in December 1946, Home Guards were raised in Bombay to assist the police in controlling civil disturbances and communal riots. Subsequently, this concept of a voluntary citizens force as auxiliary to the Police for maintenance of law and order and for meeting emergencies like floods, fires, famines etc. was adopted by several other States. In the wake of Chinese aggression in 1962, the Centre advised the States and Union Territories to merge their existing voluntary organisations into the all-India force known as ‘Home Guards’ which would be voluntary both in concept and character.

‘Civil Defence’ includes any measures, not amounting to actual combat, for affording protection to any person, property, place or thing in India or any part of the territory thereof against any hostile attack, whether from air, land, sea or other places, or for depriving any such attack of the whole for part of its effect, whether such measures are taken before, during at or after the time of such attack.

2.2 Mission/ Vision Statement.

The Home Guards & Civil Defence Department aims for expansion and modernisation in order to cater to the needs of the present Socio-Economic and Security Scenario in the Country. Till date there are 3 (three) Civil Defence Towns in Meghalaya. They are Shillong, Jowai and Tura. Shillong is Category-I Civil Defence Town and only recently Civil Defence Towns Jowai and Tura have been re- established by the after deactivation. There are presently 3 (three) District Training Centres for Home Guards - Shillong, Jowai and Tura. Proposals are being made to establish Home Guards Training Centres at Nongstoin (West ) and Williamnagar (East Garo Hills).

On modernisation, the Department envisages to get modern arms and land for Shillong Directorate and all units. Home Guards personnel are authorized to carry arms. The Department wants to convert the existing .303 Rifles to 7.62 SLRs and small arms for Officers. Permission for modernisation of arms are being awaited from the Government of India. Land for Tura and Jowai has already been procured but 10 (ten) acres of land is being allotted for Shillong at New Shillong Township, Mawdiangdiang. Constructions of buildings and all infrastructures are being undertaken. The Government has already sanctioned Rs. 3,17,24,400/- (Three crore seventeen lakhs twenty four thousand & four hundred) only for the project.

2.3 Brief History of the Public Authority and context of its formation. The Home Guards Act & Rules, 1947 have been adopted in Meghalaya. Under this Act, the Home Guards volunteers undergo training for a period of not more than 2 (two) months. After the Basic Training a volunteer may remain in the reserve for a period of 3 (three) years and while in the reserve shall be liable to be called out for duty at any time.

In 1977 the Government of India had authorised 1 (one) Battalion of Border Wing Home Guards primarily to augment the deployment of the Border Security Force along the international border. With the improvement in the force position, the BSF released all the 6 (six) Companies of this Battalion and since 1989-90 the Companies are deployed for law and order and VIP Guard duties in Shillong. However, this Battalion is gradually being reduced in strength as the State Government declared permanent with pensionable benefits to all part-time posts with a condition that the posts could not be filled if vacancy arises on account of resignation or death or superannuation. Thus the Battalion is being phased out unless the Government allows the department to fill up vacancies to stabilize the strength. Besides, the Border Wing Home Guards are also deployed with the Police in Cherrapunjee PS, Umkiang Outpost and Nongpoh PS and for security duties of the District Jails at Jowai and Williamnagar and of Umroi Airport. Because of their effectiveness, the Border Wing Home Guards have been entrusted with the security of the Dawki Bridge w.e.f. 01/04/97 which they took over from the Border Security Force.

The Meghalaya Home Guards have also been deployed in large numbers for the security of Government, Private and Public Organisations which is given below in each district-wise :

Places of Deployment of Home Guards Volunteers in the State :

SHILLONG 1. MeSEB 2. Open University Pohktieh, Nongthymmai. 3. FCI 4. NEIGRIMS at Lawmali, 5. FCI at Lachumiere 6. AG 7. CPWD 8. Marketing Board Mawiong 9. Shillong Club, Shillong. 10. Kommorah Limestone. 11. Urban Affairs Department 12. PHE, Mawphlang 13. Umshyrpi College 14. NEEPCO 15. Timpack Private at Byrnihat 16. NEHU, Mawlai 17. State Bank of India, NEHU 18. The State Council Sciences & Technology. 19. North Eastern Space Allocation Centre. 20. Forest Department 21. Fax Siemen Ltd. at Sumer.

TURA 1. Forest Department 2. Municipal Board Department 3. Ware Housing Department 4. All India Radio 5. Regional Vocational Training Institute.

JOWAI 1. PHE, Storeyard 2. AIR.

Civil Defence was firstly established in India on 24th October 1941. It was enacted by Parliament on May 1968 as Civil Defence Act 27 of 1968.

The policy of the Government of India till the declaration of emergency in 1962 was confined to making the States and Union Territories conscious of the need of Civil Defence measures and to ask them to keep ready Civil Defence Paper Plans for major cities and towns. 2(two) events of major significance which gave fillip to Civil Defence in India, took place since independence. The first, which really marked the revival of Civil Defence in the Country, was the Chinese aggression in November, 1962. The other was the Indo- Pakistan conflict in September 1965, when, for the first time after Independence, the nation was subjected to enemy air attacks. This led to considerable rethinking about the policy and scope of Civil Defence and as a result the Civil Defence policy, as it exists today, was evolved. The country was subjected to further hostile attacks from Pakistan in December 1971 when the Civil Defence Organisation performed its duties commendably. Since then, as per policy, the revision and renewal of categorised towns is being done at regular intervals, the basic criteria of categorisation remains the threat perception.

Upto 1985, all Civil Defence Preparedness were restricted against threat of conventional weapons. During 1985, revision of list of categorised Civil Defence Towns, preparedness against nuclear threat to a very limited extend was considered by the Ministry. The zones/town so identified against nuclear threat have been categorised as Category I-A Civil Defence Towns.

2.4 Duties of Public authority.

The following revised roles/duties are assigned to the Home Guards.

(a) Serve as an auxiliary to the police and assist in maintaining internal security.

(b) Assist the community in any kind of emergency - in air raid, a fire, a flood, an epidemic and so on.

(c) Organise functional units to provide essential services, such as, motor transport, pioneer and engineer groups, fire brigades, nursing and first aid, operation of water and power supply installations.

(d) Promote communal harmony and give assistance to the administration in protecting weaker sections of the Society.

(e) Participate in socio-economic and welfare activities, such as, adult education, health and hygiene, development schemes and such other tasks as are deemed useful.

2.5 Main activities/functions of the Public Authority

Home Guards

(a) To serve as an auxiliary to the police and assist in maintaining internal security.

(b) Assist the community in any kind of emergency in air raid fire, flood, epidemic and so on

(c) Organise functional units to provide essential services such as motor transport, pioneer and engineer groups , fire brigades , nursing and first aid operation of water and power supply in installation etc

(d) Promote communal harmony and give assistance to the administrator in protecting weaker sections of the society.

(e) Participate in socio Economic and welfare activities such as adult education , health and hygiene development

Schemes and such other tasks as are deemed useful.

Civil Defence.

(a) To train volunteers on Civil defence Subjects like first aid, disaster warden services, communication, flood, fire fighting, rescue, etc.

(b) To air raid precautions like evacuation shelter, Blackout etc.

(c) To organise as an integral part of the defence of the country

(d) Civil defence arrangements in selected places and vital installations.

(e) Civil Defence is primarily on a voluntary basis

2.6 List of services being provided by the public authority with a brief writeup on them

Training-To train volunteers in Home Guards like drills, arm training, security and other internal security duties

Deployment. - The home Guards volunteers are deployed for various agencies like NEEPCO, MESEB, NEHU, etc for security duties.

Auxiliary to the Police. – In election duties, law and order and assisting in maintaining internal security.

The schools students are being trained in Civil Defence matters as well as to understand war with particular reference to air raid precautions.

2.7. Organisational Structure diagram at various levels namely state, Directorate, region, district etc, ( whichever is applicable)

Annexure-I

2.8 Expectation of the Public of the Public authority from the Public for enhancing its effectiveness and efficiency.

The general public expects our organisation to conduct regular trainings to able volunteers and to cater their services in deployment to govt. establishment or private agencies, Co operations etc. This could be achieved when regular sanction comes from the govt. Since this department is concerned with disasters, the public expects that disaster could be entrusted to this department equipped with necessary man – power, training aids and equipments in order of face the eventuality in an effective manner. The public expects that all trained volunteers in Home Guards could be given deployment and preference in govt. service.

2.9. Arrangements and methods made for seeking public participation contribution.

These is one Service in Civil Defence called Warden Service. These wardens are drawn from prominent and responsible citizens of every Civil Defence Town viz Shillong, Jowai and Tura. Presently, there are 166 sector wardens and one Chief Warden in Shillong, 55 sector Wardens and one Chief Warden in Jowai and 50 sector Wardens in and one Chief Warden in Tura. In Shillong there is a Divisional Wardens also. There are three District Training centres, Shillong, Jowai, Tura headed by District Home Guards , these unit arrange public participation in every passing out parades for contribution programmes in Cultural dances, Songs and dramas in presence of invitees, Public Representative like MDC, MLA, Headman, Doloi, Nokmas and member of the general public as audiences.

2.10. Mechanism available for monitoring the Service delivery and public grievance resolution.

In the State Headquarter the Director of Civil Defence Home Guards along with Officers under him like Joint Director of Civil Defence and Joint General of Home Guards, Senior Staff Officer , Junior Staff Officer are the nucleus body which monitor Service delivery .

The Units are units Officers viz Commandant Central Training Institute, Commander, Border Wing Home Guards Battalion, which are available in Shillong. Then there are Deputy Controller Civil Defence in Shillong, Jowai and Tura as well as District Commandant Home Guards Shillong, Jowai, Tura who are field Officers available as Channels to address public grievances.

2.11. Address of the main Office and other Offices at different levels.

1. Director of Civil Defence and Commandant General of Home Guards Horse Shoe Building, Lower Lachumiere, Shillong. 2. Commandant, Central Training Institute, Bishnupur, Laban Shillong. 3. Commander, Border Wing Home Guards Battalion, Shillong. 4. Deputy Controller of Civil Defence, Additional Building Secretariat below MATI, Shillong. 5. District Commandant Home Guards, Bomfyle Road, Shillong. 6. Deputy Controller Civil Defence, Jowai. 7. Deputy Controller Civil Defence, Araimile, Tura, West Garo Hills. 8. District Commandant Home Guards, Jowai. 9. District Commandant Home Guards Araimile Tura, West Garo Hills.

2.12. Morning hours of the Officer 10.00 Am. Closing hours 4.30 Pm in winter 5.00 Pm Summer.

Annexure-1

ORGANISATIONAL(Gazetted Ranks) CHART Commandant General Home Guards and Director of Civil Defence

Joint Commandant General of Home Guards and Joint Director of Civil Defence

A B C D E CONTROLLER CIVIL COMMANDER COMMANDANT CENTRAL SENIOR STAFF OFFICER DIVISIONAL COMMANDANT, DIVISIONAL COMMANDANT DEFENCE BORDER WING HOME TRAINING INSTITUTE TURA SHILLONG GUARDS BATTALION

F G H I J K L M 2ND –IN-COMMAND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE JUNIOR STAFF OFFICER DISTRICT COMMANDANT DISTRICT DISTRICT DEPUTY CONTROLLER INSTRUCTOR OFFICER GARO HILLS COMMANDANT COMMANDANT CIVIL DEFENCE JAINTIA HILLS

MEDICAL OFFICE (ON DEPUTAITON FROM DHS)