Around 50 Anganwadi Workers sustained injuries as the security forces resorted to use of teargas and water cannons on a large number of them while they were trying to march towards the Assembly here by breaking the police barricade.
The police arrested more than 100 agitators. The Mahatma Gandhi Marg was choked with the Anganwadi Workers and their helpers under the banner of All Odisha Anganwadi ladies Workers’ Association as they sat all over the 500-metre-long stretch of the road. They carried placards and raised slogans against the State Governments’ apathy towards them.
later at around 12 noon, the agitators in huge numbers started reaching the last police barricaded in front of the Assembly and tried to break the barricade to enter into the legislature building. The police first used water cannon and then fired teargas shells to disperse the mob.
The association has been demanding a monthly salary of Rs 12,000, recognition of Anganwadi Workers as Government employees, filling up all vacant supervisor posts, promoting mini Anganwadi Workers as Anganwadi Workers and appointing more helpers, release of house rent every month, inclusion of senior Anganwadi Workers under the Madhu Babu Pension Scheme and construction of Anganwadi Centres on a priority basis. “Despite our repeated appeals to the Government to increase our remuneration for the last several years, no action has been taken,” said the secretary of the association.