BHUBANESWAR:
The Gaon Sathis, who have been sitting on dharna here from March 7 demanding
pay hike, resorted to other forms of agitation like sweeping in front of the
State Assembly here on Tuesday to mount pressure on the State Government for
fulfilment of their demands.
Hundreds of Gaon Sathis came in a
procession started from Master Canteen to the Lower PMG
square holding brooms in their hands and swept the road to protest the State
Government’s apathy.
Meanwhile, their hunger strike,
which was launched from March 25, entered the ninth day on Tuesday. The
conditions of three fasting Gaon Sathis are critical and they are undergoing
treatment at the Capital Hospital
from March 26, said State coordinator of Gaon Sathi Sangh Joint Action
Committee Laxmidhar Biswal.
Biswal alleged that the doctors
of the hospital forced the serious Gaon Sathis for discharge from the Disaster Ward
and even a doctor called one of the three a psychiatric patient which is very
unfortunate. “How can a person, who didn’t take food for nine days, leave the
hospital bed,” asked Biswal.
The Gaon Sathis have written a
letter to the director of the hospital to look into the matter and urged him to
take appropriate steps for the treatment of the agitating Gaon Sathis. On the
other hand, Capital Hospital’s
Chief Medical Officer Dr Sudarshan Das rubbished the allegation and clarified
that they asked the Gaon Sathis to vacate the ward which has limited bed, but
they arranged a bed and other facilities in another ward for the treatment of
the agitating Gaon Sathis.
The Gaon Sathis demand a
dignified salary of at least Rs 4,500 per month and their engagement in the
Panchayati Raj Department as Gram Rojgar Sevaks like the VLWs at the block level.
“We will continue our hunger strike and demonstration till our demands are
fulfilled,” said Biswal.
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