Hunger strike threat by policemen

Cuttack, May 3: The 40,000-odd state policemen are threatening to go on hunger strike if their pay related demands are not met within two months.

They would don black badges and start observing fast from July 4, the day of Rath Yatra, if the state government does not fulfil their demands. This decision was taken by the Orissa Police Havildar Constable & Sepoys Confederation on Friday.

The 10-point charter of demands relate to special pay, surrender leave, special incentive package, cycle and kit allowance, incentives for policemen posted in Naxalite-dominated areas and compensation for those injured or killed by the rebels.

“The demands were forwarded to the government by the director-general of police some time ago. But the government did not pay heed,” said the confederation president, Padmanav Behera. It had been demanding sanction of special pay without ceiling and reintroduction of surrender leave benefit, which was withdrawn in 2002. The government had introduced 10 per cent basic pay with a ceiling (Rs 150 maximum) in 1989. But even after 20 years, the ceiling limit has not been increased,” Behera said.

The Orissa government had introduced an additional 15 per cent basic pay for the police men posted in the nine districts declared Naxalite-hit.

“The incentive is quite nominal in comparison to 40 per cent being given to the neighbouring Naxalite- dominated states,” the confederation alleged.

“More so the incentive is being actually given in some parts of the nine districts. The government should extend the benefit to the policemen posted in all the 22 Naxalite-hit districts,” the confederation president demanded.

The Orissa government had introduced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the policemen killed in Naxalite violence. The confederation demanded Rs 15 lakh citing the instance of Chattisgarh.

“The government should introduce compensation for those injured in naxal violence”, said P.K.Nayak, general secretary of the confederation. More than a hundred jawans injured in Naxalite violence had been driven to penury to maintain their family after retirement, the confederation regretted