The Non Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has written to the council’s Administrator asking him to consider the representation submitted by the current secretary, Rikse R Marak, and to recall the show cause issued to her yesterday.
The Association further moved to have Section 144 of CrPC, which has been imposed in the Council, to be recalled.
Marak had said that she wanted to be relieved, blaming a motley group of employees, who she said have been politically misled, to exploit the hapless and innocent staff of the GHADC.
“I have performed my duty to the best of my ability but the fact that 100-150 employees have resorted to agitations for whatever reasons indicates that I have not been able sustain the workforce,” said the Secretary while taking moral responsibility.
“We appreciate her step and welcome her decision to relieve herself from the post and request you to kindly consider her representation and relieve her from the post while taking up the matter with the state authorities,” said the NGEA in a letter to the administrator.
Adding that show cause has been given to the staff for being absent yesterday, including those from the Finance Department, the NGEA asserted that all these employees were present in their offices and had only gathered for a short time to make the resolution not to accept the salary for two months at the old scale.
“It is learned that there is revenue in GHADC to pay at least three months salaries at the old scale. Thereafter we took a resolution to meet the Secretary to inform her that we want to have a talk with her. Surprisingly, when we met her face to face, she refused to negotiate and talk with employees but issued a show cause notice to some of our employees. There is no valid ground for the show cause. We request you to kindly revoke the show cause notice issued to our employees,” they added.
Furthermore, on the matter of Sec 144 CrPC being invoked on the premises of the council, the NGEA asserted that across the state protests were being held over non-payment of salaries, the Inner Line Permit and other causes.
“There is no imposition of 144 CrPC against them to prevent them from protesting for their legal right. We are demonstrating in a peaceful manner without engaging in any violence or anti-social activities but the district administration has still imposed section 144 CrPC in the premises of GHADC,” they added.
