CALCUTTA, India — Cricket officials at the Eden Gardens will discuss matters with the 20 groundsmen who have threatened to commit suicide if their financial demands are not met, officials said Thursday.

Amitabh Banerjee, joint secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal, told The Associated Press that officials were willing to discuss the demands of the ground staff.

The groundsmen, on the payroll of a private contractor, have refused to accept their salary for five months and said Wednesday insensitivity officials might compel them to take the "extreme step of committing suicide."

"We're going to meet the groundsmen shortly to discuss their financial demands that include medical and other allowances," Banerjee said.

He said these groundsmen were not employees of the CAB, but were hired by a private contractor.

"They have been demanding that the CAB absorbs them in its roster of employees, which is not possible," Banerjee said. "This demand has already been turned down by the CAB's working committee."

The private contractor pays the groundsmen a daily wage of 105 Indian rupees (US$2.50; €1.59), which increases to 130 Indian rupees (US$3.10; €1.97) on Sundays.