Karnataka Home Guards gets over 60 new women entrants

Bengaluru: Around 140 candidates joined the Karnataka Home Guards, Bengaluru North, on Monday. Of these 68 are women and 72 are men.

On the occasion B Amarnath, District Commandant, Home Guards, Bengaluru North Division said that it’s a voluntary decision taken by every woman who takes this opportunity to come and serve people. Despite fewer facilities provided for women here, they still chose to come and work. Women from all walks of life i.e widows, mothers and the elderly choose to work here.  

“It’s a great chance for women who never went to college but can still wear the uniform and serve people,” said Uma Maheshwari, 36, who stepped into this new role on Monday. One of the staff mentioned that her children are proud of the work she does and one of her daughter dreams to join the home guard team one day.

The membership of Home Guards is voluntary and open to all citizens of all walks of life. The members enrolled are given basic training at part-time parades held at the district level.

Selected home guards are given advanced training at the Combined Central Home Guards and Civil Defense Training Institute, Bangalore, in courses like rescue, fire fighting, first aid, flood rescue, personality development.

The training imparted to home guards enables the personnel to act effectively in times of natural or manmade disasters besides maintenance of law and order.