VISAKHAPATNAM: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has accorded approval for the withdrawal of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) from the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), with the process scheduled to be completed by November 17 after the mandatory three-month notice period.
The approval, conveyed through a communication dated August 18, covers the entire CISF deployment at the steel plant, including both its Security Wing and Fire Wing.
The CISF Directorate, in a communication issued on August 21, directed the concerned authorities to initiate any necessary action under Section 14(2) of the CISF Act for the withdrawal of the sanctioned strength. The deployment proposed to be withdrawn comprises 1,033 posts in the Security Wing and 298 posts in the Fire Wing, taking the total sanctioned CISF strength at VSP to 1,331 posts.
The CISF has also been asked to ensure that all outstanding dues payable by the VSP management are cleared.
Following the withdrawal, a compliance report is to be submitted to the CISF Directorate, along with a ‘No-Dues Certificate’ from the Sector Inspector General, for processing the abolition of the sanctioned posts as directed by the MHA.
The decision is significant for security arrangements at VSP as it involves withdrawal of both components of the CISF set up rather than a reduction in personnel deployment. The official communication, however, does not spell out the alternative arrangements that will replace the CISF for plant security and fire protection after November 17.
The CISF has been deployed at major public sector enterprises and critical industrial installations across the country, with its responsibilities extending to access control, security, and fire safety.
At VSP, the force has been responsible for both industrial security and fire protection through its separate wings.