All work & no pay

Hyderabad: The contingent sweepers and workers who are working in the panchayat schools in several villages of the state have not been getting their salaries for the past seven months. Even after several requests, the contingent sweepers and workers said that the government is not taking any actions and just assuring them for the same. There are many workers who have lost their lives due to no pay or basic amenities.

Speaking to The Hans India, D Krishnaiah, the president of Contingent Sweepers Welfare Association of Panchayat Raj Schools of Telangana, said, "There are 23,000 Panchayat schools in Telangana, out of which only 2,000 schools have proper workers like attendees, watchman or sweepers. However, in the remaining 21,000 schools there are no workers and sweepers due to improper payment of salaries. Out of a total of 5,941 workers, at present, there are only 2,500 workers currently working in these schools."

Narsimliah, who has been working in the Urdu Panchayat School at Utnoor mandal for over a decade, has not received his pay for seven months now. Similarly, many like Narsimliah who have been working for the past several decades are demanding that the government provide them with an increased pay and other facilities.

"Teachers of the schools are not taking any responsibility for the children. There have been incidences where children fell down in the campus and the teachers instead of doing anything asked us to take them to the nearby clinics. We are given additional jobs apart from what we had to do. We were assured that after Telangana formation, the government concerned will solve them, but it has only been a lip service," said Narsimliah.

Md Hussain, who is working in the Urdu Panchayat School in Adilabad district, said "I have been working in this school for the past 33 years in this school. It is very difficult for us to survive in the amount that they pay. The salary is also not paid on time. We're paid salaries after 4 to 5 months and sometimes after 7 months. We're only expecting from the government to increase our salary or to provide us with basic amenities to live."

Hussain from Kamareddy district who has been working in the Panchayat school from 1979 said, "Even when any of the workers die, the last rituals are not performed as the government does not give a single penny. We are requesting the government to at least increase some amount that will help us to live. Now it has become compulsory for all the workers to give their attendance to biometric attendance machine."

Hopes on Apex Court

When a few people from various districts went to the High Court, the court gave an order to the government to provide the workers with an increased salary of Rs 13,000. However, the government later challenged the case in Supreme Court, stating that there are no funds. The order from the Supreme Court is expected to be given by the end of this month.