Pramesh S Jain
Seeking to strengthen security at critical installations, create employment opportunities and address regional imbalance in Kalyana Karnataka,Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority member,Mohan Kumar Danappa has written to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department,urging the government to create the 5th battalion of the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF) with its headquarters at Kalaburagi.
The KSISF was established to provide security to vital and sensitive installations across Karnataka.At present, the force has four battalions headquartered in Bengaluru,Shivamogga,Dharwad and Mysuru.
However,Kalyana Karnataka does not have a dedicated KSISF battalion.
According to Danappa,more than 600 posts have been sanctioned for security duties at eight critical installations in the region,including Bidar Airport, Kalaburagi Airport, the Kalaburagi Bench of the Karnataka High Court,Kalaburagi Central Prison,Ballari Central Prison,Jindal Airport,BTPS Kudatini in Ballari district and the Tungabhadra Reservoir in Vijayanagara district.
The KSISF is currently providing security at these eight installations,where more than 400 officers and personnel are deployed.
However,the absence of a separate regional cadre has resulted in serving personnel being denied promotional opportunities despite having the required seniority, the letter stated.
Security audits have also reportedly been completed for other sensitive installations, including Hutti Gold Mines, Yermarus Thermal Power Station,Narayanapura Reservoir and Karanja Reservoir.
However,deployment of KSISF personnel at these locations has not been possible due to a shortage of manpower.
Danappa has proposed that the posts already sanctioned for the eight installations in Kalyana Karnataka be transferred to the proposed battalion.
Vacant posts could be filled in phases in the future,he suggested.
He also proposed temporarily using the old IG Police office at Kalaburagi as the office of the Commandant of the proposed 5th KSISF Battalion,thereby avoiding the immediate requirement for additional infrastructure expenditure.
According to the proposal,Kalyana Karnataka has sufficient sensitive installations to support a full-fledged KSISF battalion.
Moreover,the respective establishments are reportedly willing to bear the complete cost of security services,
meaning that the creation of the battalion would not impose an additional financial burden on the state government.
Danappa said establishing the battalion would strengthen security at sensitive installations, correct regional imbalance,facilitate effective implementation of Article 371J,create employment opportunities for youth from Kalyana Karnataka and ensure better promotional opportunities for personnel already serving in the region.
He has therefore urged the government to sanction a full-fledged KSISF battalion headquartered at Kalaburagi, by rationalising and reallocating existing sanctioned posts without creating an additional financial burden on the state exchequer.
