The Non Gazetted Employees’ Association (NGEA) has decided to up their protests over unpaid salaries in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), with the employees threatening to go on an indefinite hunger strike if their demands are not fulfilled.
The NGEA has been protesting for the payment of their arrears since February 22.
At a meeting today, the protesting staff decided to call an indefinite hunger strike from March 10.
“We have been on strike for close to two weeks now and, despite that, there has been no assurance given to us to take care of our situation. We have decided that we will go an indefinite hunger strike if there is no written assurance by the Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, to work on the salary issue,” said NGEA Secretary, Brithen Sangma.
Meanwhile, the NGEA has also decided to ensure the eviction of all former ruling MDCs who are yet to vacate their official quarters after March 7.
“The properties within the MDC quarters belong to the council and not to the MDCs. The council has every right to retain them. We oppose such forceful loot of council resources and will ensure that items are kept within the quarters itself,” he added.
It has become the norm now for MDCs, while vacating their quarters, to literally empty the official residents despite all furniture, enhancements, electronics, etc being the property of the GHADC. This continued loot of public property has also led, to some extent, to the financial crisis faced by the GHADC, as the council has to foot the bill to furnish the quarters every time new MDCs occupy them.
The NGEA has also decided to file FIRs against all the ruling MDCs of the previous government in cases of corruption.
