DTF holds protest over ‘ignoring’ slain teachers, demands compensation

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 29

Members of the district unit of the Democratic Teachers’ Front has raised objection to ignoring the death of three schoolteachers and the driver in a road accident on March 24. Ashwani Awasthi, head of the district unit of DTF, along with several other government school teachers wore black badges in protest and said no compensation had been announced by the Punjab Government so far.

“As decided by the DTF, Punjab, we immediately decided to protest against the government’s ‘inhuman behaviour’ by putting up black badges in the schools across the state. All three teachers who died, were young and were serving probation period. They belonged to Fazilka and used to commute from Fazilka to Tarn Taran on regular basis to attend to their duties. Since their death be treated on duty, we demand a compensation of up to Rs 1 crore for each deceased,” said Ashwani.

Today, teachers of various schools of Amritsar, including border and rural area schools like in Sohian Kalan, Chhajalwadi (girls), Chhajalwadi (boys), Jabowal, Vernali, Lashkri Nangal, Basarke Gillan, Kot Khalsa, and Baserke wore black badges and said they would continue to do so until the incident catches government attention.

Awasthi said that despite there being vacant posts in respective districts, thousands of teachers are being forced to do distant jobs due to the wrong policies of the government. “Instead of giving any attention to the safe commute of these teachers and the provision of accommodation or other facilities, the newly appointed teachers are deprived of the full pay scale and allowances for the first three years under the guise of probationary period. We had earlier demanded that every teacher should be given a station in his home district after getting a new appointment or promotion and even if there is not a single post vacant in the district, he should be sent to the neighboring district.”

Germanjit Singh, another teacher and member of the DTF, said in 2016, 14 teachers lost their lives in a road accident in Tarn Taran in a similar manner. “At the time, the government had announced compensation to their families.”

DTF also demanded “Teacher Homes” with standard facilities should be established at each tehsil of Punjab for the accommodation of teachers, who come to teach from a long distance.

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