BHUBANESWAR: Three agitating Gaon Sathis attempted self-immolation in front of police personnel at Mahatma Gandhi Marg here on Wednesday. The Gaon Sathis poured kerosene and tried to immolate themselves. However, their bid was foiled by the police.
Hundreds of Gaon Sathis have been on dharna for nearly two months seeking regularisation of their jobs and minimum wage of Rs 8,000 per month. Many of them are also on hunger strike on Mahatma Gandhi Marg for the last three days.
The Gaon Sathis have been engaged to monitor the implementation of MGNREGS by the Panchayati Raj department and help officials at the village level in the proper execution of development schemes, projects and welfare programmes. The agitators said that though they had submitted a five-point charter of demands to the department on September 7, the latter has paid no heed so far.