Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jan 1: The district Aided Primary School Teachers Association has decided to resort to hunger strike in front of the office of the department of public instruction here from January 4, protesting non-payment of salaries since the last four months. They also will boycott the work of children’s census to be held from January 5 to 8.

It is learnt that the teachers of Kundapur and Byndoor blocks have not been paid their salaries since the last four months, while those in Karkala and Udupi blocks are waiting for payment of their salaries since the last three months. The teachers, apart from facing hardships to procure household necessities, remit loan installments to banks and pay for various expenses of children, also run the risk of their insurance policies getting lapsed for non-payment of premia.

Recently, Dr V S Acharya had, sometime ago, promised to see that the salary grant for the teachers would be released soon. The teachers have decided to take this harsh step in view of unprecedented uncertainty about their salaries and the fact that their efforts to get the pay released by the government so far, have gone in vain.