The Hindu : Kerala News : Security services facing manpower shortage

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Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala

Security services facing manpower shortage

Security service agencies across the State are facing a manpower crunch. Though the number of service providers has increased over the last five to six years, the industry is still considered to be in a nascent stage, as there is no recognition of the services

It has been rather difficult to get people to join this service for the last couple of years, said Ravindran M. Panicker, managing director of Ravenbeck Security India Ltd.

The major drawback faced by service providers is the low salary offered to guards by the clients, Mr. Panicker says The government, on its part, has to come up with some legal recognition for security guard services. People are reluctant to join the service mainly for two reasons — it has little status in society and the salary is lower than that of many other jobs that have sprung up. The State should take a cue from the Maharashtra government to provide recognition to the service, he says.

Some of the major security services in the city, including Group 4 Securitas Guarding (P) Ltd. or the Kerala Ex-service Security Services take up only corporate clientele. Even with about 2,500 people engaged by Group 4, there is a huge shortage of staff. The new business ventures that have come up in the city have increased demand for security services. The Info-Park alone employs about 800 security personnel and the number is likely to go up to 1,200-1,500 when different companies set up shop here.

With construction work going on at most places as part of the housing boom, the demand for security services has gone up exponentially. Guards at these sites get a minimum wage of Rs. 250.

John Sebastian, a supervisor attached to a Thripunithura-based security services, Red Eagle, says: “It is not a high-paying job and at the same time could be risky too.” It is okay if nothing untoward happens, but the guard would have to take the blame for any eventuality, he adds. It is difficult to service individuals, as they are not ready to pay more than Rs.100 a day. To get a good security person, who can be entrusted with a little more than simply guarding the place, it would require Rs.150 to 200 a day, said the supervisor.

Some of the big companies handling many personnel provide benefits such as medical insurance, etc., to their employees, but the smaller agencies do not provide any monetary coverage to the employees, says a security guard. With severe shortage of staff, many guards are doing overtime. However, with the job failing to attract youngsters, it is the seniors who are left to take up double duties.

Unless the clients are ready to pay more, it would be difficult to attract people into the service, Mr. Panicker says.

Shyama Rajagopal

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