Responding to the threat by the newly-formed executive council (EC) to terminate the services of protesting employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), social activist Greneth Sangma has slammed the leadership over their “insensitiveness”.
The Non Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) has been protesting for the release of 34 months worth of pending salaries due to them by the GHADC and have been not allowing the council offices to operate. They were on Wednesday threatened with the sack if they did not desist within three days.
Addressing the Chief Executive Member, he said, “You are a public leader and with power come responsibilities as you are no ordinary person. On your shoulders rests the responsibility of preserving the customs and traditions of Garos as well as preserving the age-old customary laws. That is why you are chosen as one of the members of the district council.”
Sangma pointed to the fact that there are more than 1,500 employee families that depended on the CEM and GHADC and are ready to support them if hope was given to them of a resolution to the issue of pending salaries.
Some of the problems that have led to the parlous state of affairs in the council include the lack of service or financial rules as well as accountability, Sangma said. He also felt that, for some MDCs, the GHADC was a gold mine for them to exploit.
“It is your responsibility to clear all their (the employees’) dues before terminating them so that they can set up their own enterprises and not live an uncertain life under the new EC. Threatening the staff will not go down well with the people of Garo Hills as well,” he added.
Sangma then hit out against the Chief Minister, saying that Conrad Sangma lacked administrative skill. He also questioned why the GHADC could not be bailed out by the government when the power company was.
“The CM should bail out the GHADC and the amount can be deducted in installments from the royalty share,” he felt.
