Employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) today began an indefinite strike at work over the demands for clearance of their salaries as well as the removal of the current secretary to the district council, Rikse Marak.
The latest move comes after the announcement by the GHADC administrator of the payment of one month’s salary in the old scale, a move that the employees have termed as unacceptable.
Employees of the GHADC have remained unpaid since April 2018, a total of 32 months.
Hundreds of employees today sat in front of the GHADC office to register their protest. Earlier the Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) of the Council had written to the Meghalaya Governor, seeking at least three months salaries in the new scale (5th Pay Commission) to be provided to them from the Rs 18.2 crores that has been provided to the GHADC for developmental purposes.
The NGEA, in their letter on December 15 have also sought the transfer of the secretary, failing which they threatened to go on strike.
The district council office remained shut for the day owing to the strike.
“We will continue the indefinite strike until our demands are met. We cannot continue living without what is due to us and want the government to take note of our plight,” said joint secretary, Flaming Marak.
