While the country was celebrating Teachers' Day, 687 primary teachers under Malegaon Municipal Corporation were struggling for a living as they have not been paid salaries for the last seven months.

"My sister is handicapped and is dependent on me. But since we were not receiving any payments for the last seven months, I am unable to provide the regular medications needed for her," a teacher told PTI on condition of anonymity.

There are 687 teachers in Urdu and Marathi primary schools and 250 pensioners whose gratuity and pension are blocked.

"Combining the pending salary, pension and gratuity, almost Rs 20 crore is held up for no relevant reason. Already marred by a declining textile industry, the people of Malegaon are facing more hardships now with non-payment of salaries," social activist Aleem Faizee said.

Nissar Mohammed Yusuf (56), another primary school teacher, needs a bypass surgery urgently which will cost him around Rs one lakh. Moreover, he is also suffering from throat cancer. Since he cannot afford the surgery, Yusuf is living on medicines, which costs him Rs 6,000 every month.

"I sold off all my family jewellery to run the house and get treatment. Now I have taken a loan from the bank for Rs 20,000 and mortgaged jewellery of my relatives for Rs 13,000. Even if I pay back the loan, I have to pay equal amount as interest," Yusuf said.

Ilyas Mohammed has to get regular treatment for his diabetic wife, but doesn't have any resource.

"This is not the first time that the Corporation has ditched teachers like this. In fact it has become the routine for us ever since Malegaon became Corporation in 2001," Mohammed said.

"Earlier, we used to get the salaries in two to three months time. Although this was also troublesome, somehow we were able to manage. But now we don't know what to do," Ansari Kamal Ahmed Abdul Majid president, Urdu Primary School Teachers' Association, said.

The story dates back to September 2001 when Malegaon became Corporation and the state government decided that 80 per cent of the teachers' salary will be borne by the state government while the Corporation will pay the remaining 20 per cent in first year, then 33 per cent in next year.

By 2003, the Corporation was directed to share 50 per cent of the teachers' salary.

"But, citing poor financial condition, the Corporation is not ready to pay more than 20 per cent and is in fact requesting the state government to abolish even this 20 per cent also. The government is regularly paying its 50 per cent share, still the Corporation is not ready to release its dues," Majid said.

Ironically, the bank loans and LIC [Get Quote] premiums that are regularly cut from teachers' salaries are also not paid to the respective banks and LIC offices and nobody knows who will pay these dues and the ever-increasing interests on these amounts.