The legislative committee formed to sort out issues related to the implementation of the Private Security Regulations Act will soon submit its report to the state. After the sitting of the committee held at the Collectorate on Thursday, committee chairman M Ummar MLA said they have found out that a majority of private security agencies functioning in the state do not have a valid licence.
“Two agencies, each from Ernakulam and Pathanamithitta, have secured a licence. Eighty-eight agencies from Ernakulam district have applied for new licences,” he said. The chairman said as per the Act, the basic salary for security guards, including provident fund and ESI, is `8,364. “But most of the private security agencies are not paying this amount to the guards. These are also exploiting the workers, especially migrant labourers, by forcing them to work overtime for low salary. We will take stringent actions against such agencies,” Ummar said. Representatives of the agencies raised complaints regarding lack of clarity over the amount to be remitted as licence fee.
Other major complaints raised in the sitting were regarding delay in issuing licences and incomplete records on the details of migrant labourers. Ummar instructed the officials to ensure that the licences are issued within 60 days after receiving the application.
Police officials said most of the agencies that apply for licences might not have a registered office here as these are based in other districts and the delay in processing the licence applications is because of this reason.