BHUBANESWAR: The state government has threatened to deduct the salaries of primary school teachers, who on Thursday staged a demonstration in front of the Assembly here, demanding the abolition of the block grant system.Cracking the whip on the agitating teachers, the government issued a notice to district education officers, warning the contractual teachers of disengagement from work or non-renewal of their contracts for remaining absent from work without notice."Steps have already been taken for the consideration of the demands raised by the various teachers' groups. Hence the agitation called by such groups is not at all justified," school and mass education secretary P K Mohapatra wrote to the DEOs.The letter further said in view of the above, it is directed to take necessary steps to check the attendance of all teachers - junior and junior contractual ones - from September 6 and ensure that those who have remained absent without permission and without a proper ground do not get their salary for the days of absence.In case of contractual teachers, unauthorised absence could be treated as a reason for not renewing the annual contract due in March next year and even prior to that, authorities may take action to disengage them after following due procedure, the letter read.

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