The Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), through a letter to the CEM, has sought for the removal of the present Secretary, Rikse Marak, over various allegations of corruption and other charges.
“We demand that during the administrator’s rule in GHADC there should not be any bias in overall functioning of GHADC and we expect the fairness, transparency, accountability, impartial governance during this time. For such to happen, we demand for removal of Rikse R Marak, from the post of Secretary,” said President of the NGEA, Senora Arengh.
The NGEA alleged that the secretary has not been on good terms with employees and never responds when employees approach her with their grievances. Further they accused her of harassing employees through show cause notices and suspension orders.
“After taking the charge of Secretary, there were no complaints from her side with regards to non-renewal of the NGEA but after filing the contempt case in the High Court, she has started to harass the employees of GHADC and the members of NGEA,” added NGEA Joint Secretary Flaming Marak.
The NGEA added that about 25 employees lost their lives due to non-payment of salaries, who were denied their due even after approaching the Secretary. A case against her action of denying their rights has been submitted to the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC).
Further she has also been accused by the NGEA of illegally appointing orderlies without following due procedure.
They further accused Rikse Marak of corruption, stating that she has still not been able to explain where an amount of Rs 35.4 crore was borrowed from to meet Council expenditure. A case on this matter has also been filed with the Lokayukta by one Tattara Marak.
As per the NGEA, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had issued a letter informing that an amount of Rs 46.57 crores as advance payment for salaries of employees has been drawn by the GHADC, but the Secretary has allegedly denied that the money was even received.
“If allowed to continue, she will influence and manipulate the functioning of the GHADC [to the point where] it will be difficult to eradicate corruption. She also has no moral right to continue in her post due to the number of cases pending against her. She needs to be removed and transferred or she will tamper with evidence,” they alleged.
Lastly as per the Constitution of District Council Rules, 1951, MCS/IAS bureaucrats should not be deputed to the GHADC as is, as per the Sixth Schedule, empowered to make separate legislature, Rules and the Government of ADC should be as per the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution therefore, the GHADC should appoint their own Secretary.
