Bhubaneswar, March 21 -- The agitation by members of the Nikhil OdishaMidday Meal Cook-Cum-Helper Association intensified on Saturday, with the protest entering its fourth consecutive day and tensions escalating at the demonstration site.

The protesters have been staging a continuous sit-in on the streets, spending sleepless nights while pressing for their long-pending demands. The agitation has been triggered by the non-payment of honorarium for the past three months, along with demands for a wage hike.

Efforts to resolve the issue remained inconclusive as discussions between the protesters and officials failed to yield any breakthrough. Officials Babu Singh and Ashrit Pattanayak visited the protest site and held talks with the demonst...