Wage discrimination under NREGP drives labourer to suicide

Jaipur, Aug 10 (UNI) A worker employed under the National Rural Employment Gurantee Programme (NREGP) committed suicide by jumping into a well over discrimination in wages in Tonk district.

Bhurelal Meena, 65 was reportedly provoked over discrimination in wages. He was paid Rs 40 per day while others were given Rs 65 at the work site in Guda Anantpura village under Rajwas panchayat.

Bhurelal, the first victim of the task based pay regime was dead by the time he was taken out from the well by fellow labourers.

His son Giriraj Meena had registered a case against the Panchayat secretary and one Ganesh Bairwa, brother- in- law of Surpanch Prem Devi, who were distributing the wages, for driving his father to suicide.

According to eyewitness accounts,Bhurelal vociferously protested against discrimination in wages. As the protest got louder Ganesh Bairwa who was distributing the payments reportedly snubbed the old man by saying ''take it if you want or jump into the well'' pointig to a well in the work site.

Circle Inspector of Naiwai Prahlad Singh Shakawat said the police have registerd a case against the Panchayat secretary and Ganesh Bairwa under section 306 of the IPC on Giriraj Meena's complaint.

UNI