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Men on watch !

These good citizens of our nation need special thanks as they ensure that we celebrate a safe Diwali with our families at home.

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As we celebrate the most awaited festival of the year, these people will be doing their regular jobs. There are no leaves for them; it’s like just another day at work. These good citizens of our nation need special thanks as they ensure that we celebrate a safe Diwali with our families at home.

Vijay Kumar, 37

Leading Fireman, West Fire Zone

Vijay Kumar is a leading fireman at the West Fire Zone in Delhi. He has been a fire fighter for 7 years and has missed out on all the Diwali since he joined the services. Vijay, who hails from Sonipat district in Haryana, always wanted to work for the welfare of people, and thus gave exams to become a fire fighter, after working for a private company for 5years. He says,”Diwali is one of the most engaging night for us as we receive 3 times the normal calls. The calls range from are fire cases to people/animal getting stuck on terraces.” Just like every year, his 5years old daughter, Jahnvi, has made him promise that he will visit post-Diwali with gifts for her and her 2years old brother, Aarav. “People sometimes say that fire men reach the spot late, I just want to request them to come and see how we work. We leave the station within 2mins after receiving a call, but the traffics and cars parked in the middle of the road delay our work. I want to request people to let fires engines go first”, he adds. The staff of 28 fire fighters at the West fire zone, will be working on Diwali and the next day too.

Dr. Mohammad Tameem Khateeb, 30

Junior Resident, Acharya Bhikshu Govt. Hospital


“I promised my family that I’ll be home for Eid, but could not go and now have to work on Diwali too.”, says the casualty ward doctor of Acharya Bhikshu Hospital. Doctor Khateeb came to Delhi around 5months back from his hometown Bijapur in North Karnataka where he lived with his parents and three sisters. He confirms that the casualty, especially burns cases, have increased since the last couple of days and says,”People, especially children, are coming with burns due to crackers. The cases have increased in the last one week. I want to reiterate that the crackers not only are unsafe but cause lungs congestion also. We are receiving elderly people with such problems,”. He did his MBBS from Al Ameen Medical College in Bijapur, Karnataka and wish to serve people. The doctors at the casualty ward at the hospital would be working longer shifts during Diwali and a few days after that.

Joginder Singh, 31

Bus Driver, DTC

Joginder Singh has been a bus driver with Delhi transport corporation for 15 months now. Before this, he used to drive private school buses. Joginder drives the bus route no. 234 from Karampura to Harsh Vihar; A normal day starts at 6:28am for him, when he reports at his Head office in Karampura bus depot and then reports back in the afternoon at around 2pm when his shift ends. He is working this Diwali as the senior management is giving double payment to those who work extra hours on the day as he has to buy gifts for his wife, nephews and 7months son, Mukul, who will be celebrating his first Diwali. Joginder, who lives with his family in Bawana, says,”I worked till 9pm last Diwali also after which my bus broke down and I could not reach home until 11pm. I wish this year I get to be a part of the Pooja at home. The station is understaffed because of the festival and since I want to buy gifts for my family members, I will be working.”

Mahendra Sharma, 26

Paramedic Staff, CATS ambulances


The CATS (Centralized Accident Trauma Services) team is just a call away this Diwali. The teams in different parts of the city are working extra hours to make sure that the people receive all the help they need during the festival time. Mahendra Sharma, a paramedic staff member, who has been working with CATS since last three months and says,”There is no question of celebrating Diwali with family members as this is the busiest time of the year for us. We are working double shifts sometimes as well.” He will be missing Diwali celebrations with his wife and one-year-old daughter, Pari, who are in Alwar district of Rajasthan, with his parents. “I had this in mind when I joined the service that I will have to serve people first when in the line of duty.” He has plans to visit his family post the celebrations. CATS provides pre-hospital emergency medical response services to the general public and is available on 102.

Kamlesh Kumari, 54

Constable, Delhi Police


“I’m working night shift tomorrow which starts at 8pm thus there is no way I will be able to celebrate Diwali with my two sons”, she says. Kamlesh joined the Delhi police at the age of 23 after her husband died. She has been working since last 29 years and have celebrated only a few Diwali with her children; none in the last four years. “Duty is more important for us. We have to make sure that people have a safe celebration with their family members. But we do receive many calls where people get into fights after having drinks. I just want to request all to celebrate the festival sober and stay away from nuisance. I wish everyone a very Happy Diwali.” she adds. The staff decorates the thana and light diyas as they spend most of their time at their work place. Kamlesh will be working from 8pm on Diwali night till 8am the next morning.

Shailendra Singh, 40

Staff, CNG station

Of the 14 years of service, Shailendra Singh has only celebrated two Diwali with his family back in Chhapra district of Bihar. “It is just another day for us at work. The petrol/gas stations remain open 24*7 irrespective of festivals. I will be working too and have not celebrated Diwali or Chhat Pooja with my family since the last 7 consecutive years.”, says Shailendra. His 12 years old son, Aditya, and 6 years old daughter, Palak, invites him home every year on Diwali, but because of prior commitments at work and increased rush, he doesn’t get leave around this time. All the petrol pumps will remain open as the traffic on the roads will never stop.

Pramod Kumar Singh, 39

Security Guard


Pramod Kumar has not been given leave again this year on Diwali as the bank ATMs will need security with more people out on the streets. In his one year of service, he will be missing second Diwali with his family back in Bhojpur district of Bihar. Pramod, who was a farmer for 20 years, before he came to Delhi to work as a security guard, says,”There is no weekly off for me even during normal days. I work 30 days a month. I’ve asked my three sons and daughter, who are all studying, to visit me here for Chhat Pooja as I will not be getting leaves.” He will be working till 10pm on Diwali night. The security guards around the city will be doing their regular jobs, most of them without an extra pay for it.

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