BHUBANESWAR: After battling hardship and desperation for years, Kedarnath Swain, a casual staffer with Capital Nursery in the City, decided enough was enough. On Saturday morning, he ended his life by hanging himself in an office room where he had worked for over 20 years. All that he got for remuneration was Rs 100 a day. Every month, four Sundays excluded, his total income stood at Rs 2600 which was not enough to cover his needs. His daughter had attained marriageable age and Swain, a resident of Jankia’s Rambhabilli village, was feeling helpless. He, along with his 160 fellow workers under the banner of Arboriculture Non-Regular Government Staff Association, had been on agitation for the last 11 days seeking regularisation of their services. The Capital Nursery comes under General Administration Department’s Arboriculture wing. “On Friday night, he appeared downcast and was saying there was no point living anymore. We did not think he would go to this extent,” a colleague said. On Saturday morning, after the agitators got up from their dharna place - near Unit II Market Building, Swain said he was going to have bath. He went into the office and used a rope to hang himself.
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