Police lathi-charge Rozgar Gram Sevaks

BHUBANESWAR: Police on Friday lathi-charged members of Nikhil Odisha Gram Rozgar Sevak Sangh (NOGRSS) after they blocked the Station Square demanding regularisation of their jobs.
Despite being restricted by police not to protest beyond the Lower PMG, hundreds of Gram Rozgar Sevak Sangh members assembled at the busy Station Square and obstructed the road. This snapped traffic movement and vehicles were left stranded causing a massive jam.

To disperse them, police baton-charged the agitators and detained over 30 members of NOGRSS. “The protests led to a massive traffic jam at Station Square. We have detained members of Gram Rozgar Sevak Sangh and further investigation is on,” Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi said. Police later released the detained members. Some of the protestors also sustained injuries during the scuffle with the policemen.

The members said they have been protesting at block levels since September 18, and on Friday they came to the Capital City to press their demand. “We were appointed in 2016 and ever since we have been demanding regularisation of our jobs. Most of the panchayat development work is carried out by us but our demand has not been fulfilled yet,” said NOGRSS president Badri Mohanty.The union comprises of Gram Rozgar Sevaks (GRS) who have been appointed on contractual basis to monitor implementation of projects taken up under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in rural areas.