Bhubaneswar, Jan. 14: College teachers of category aided colleges, block grant lecturers and Employees Co-Ordination Committee today decided to go on a hunger-strike from January 21 to demand implementation of the grant-in-aid policy.

The teachers of 488 colleges have also threatened to resort to self-immolation if their demands were not met.

One of the lecturers, Laxmikant Das said: “We have been working for the past 11 years, but we are getting a paltry salary of Rs 11,000. We did PhD and obtained necessary degrees. As the government is not listening to our demands, we will be forced to take the extreme step.”

Das, who has an excellent academic career, said: “I joined the profession with a lot of hope. Despite my hard work and sincere efforts, the government has not yet rewarded me. Our genuine demand should be honoured.”

Another lecturer Pradeep Kumar Sarangi also shared the same view and threatened self-immolation if their demand was not met.

General secretary of the committee Atal Bihari Bal said: “We are sitting on a dharna for the past 40 days. However, government has not initiated any steps for sanction of the grant-in-aid.”