Five teachers faint during fast protest seeking pay parity on DPI campus

Chennai: Five teachers from government schools fainted after fasting for four days demanding par parity on DPI campus here on Tuesday.

More than 300 secondary grade teachers from the government schools have been urging salary on par with other secondary grade teachers appointed before 2009. They had undertaken indefinite fasting.

“Teachers who are appointed after 2009 were given '5,200 as basic pay whereas the other secondary grade teachers with the same qualification are getting basic pay of Rs 8,370. We have petitioned many times to correct this pay anomaly but the government authorities do not pay heed,” said J. Robert, general secretary, Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers Association.

“The indefinite fasting protest entered the fourth day on Tuesday when four persons fainted. They were admitted to hospitals. Another person also fainted in the evening. We request the government to correct the pay anomaly as early as possible,” he said.