Para teachers step into canal near Mamata's residence to seek

A section of para teachers onTuesday staged a unique protest to press for their demands bystepping into a canal that flows past the residence of WestBengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The group of contractual teachers of government-runschools in the state held placards in support of their demandfor a salary hike, in the portion of the waterbody in front ofBanerjee's residence, a high-security zone, officials said.

The protesters were later dispersed by police anddisaster management personnel, they said.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra and othersenior officials are at the spot, where security has beenbeefed up following the incident.

Contractual teachers have been holding a sit-in in themetropolis for more than 70 days, demanding immediate wagerevision.

Banerjee had recently announced a three per centannual pay hike for para teachers in the state budget, butthey asserted the raise is not enough.

The education department had increased the salary ofpara teachers at the primary level from Rs 5,954 to Rs 10,000a month, and for those at the higher secondary level from Rs8,500 to Rs 13,000.

With the assembly elections round the corner, it hassnowballed into a major political issue with the oppositionBJP and Left Front accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress ofturning a blind eye to the plea of the para teachers.