College teachers stage rail roko

The New Indian Express, Aug 20, 2007

BALANGIR: Railway traffic was disrupted for more than two hours when at least 400 college lecturers and staff from undivided Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput (KBK) districts staged rail roko at Titilagarh railway station, about 65 km from here on Sunday.

The protesting teachers of private colleges of the area alleged that the State Government was depriving them of government aid even after serving for more than 15 years.

The agitators stopped the New Delhi-bound Samata Express at Kesinga while several goods trains remained stranded at various stations on the Sambalpur-Titilagarh railway route. Service resumed after two hours when Titilagarh police intervened and took the agitators into custody.

Secretary of the Unaided Teachers and Staff Association of KBK districts Aswini Meher said, ‘‘The KBK area is one of the educationally backward areas in the country but the Government has always been apathetic to their demands.’’

Association president Chhabilal Sahu said while most of the private colleges of the coastal districts had received government aid, the KBK districts were ignored.