Did Assam CM’s intervention push Meghalaya to act on GHADC salary crisis?

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Did the intervention of Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma push the Meghalaya Government to finally move forward in resolving the prolonged salary crisis in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC)? The question arises after Tura MDC Bernard N Marak claimed that developments at GHADC began only after he wrote to Sarma, “the things begin to develop at the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.”

GHADC employees have demanded their backlog salaries for 44 months, now nearing 45. Marak said the Executive Committee assured employees that it would release one year’s salary and clear the backlog within two years. He added that employees remain apprehensive with elections approaching, fearing a new committee might not take the responsibility seriously.

Marak said employees are divided on the offer. “Some employees have accepted the 12 months’ salary, but many remain apprehensive since the state government has not yet sanctioned the money. That is why some are accepting, and some are not,” he said.

The BJP MDC also highlighted his own struggles. “I am the MDC of Tura and from BJP, but in Garo Hills there is no coalition. I have been in opposition for almost five years. I have not received my allowances, and my schemes were given to someone else. There are many anomalies in implementation. Like the employees, we are also victims. Being excluded from the Executive Committee has curtailed our powers, and we cannot deliver as anticipated by our constituents,” Marak said.

Pointing to neglect, Marak said, “Employees have been fighting for salaries for quite some time. Although assurances were given, the Executive Committee never took them seriously. That is why employees have taken a strong stand.”

Explaining his appeal to Sarma, Marak said, “I approached Himanta ji as convener and chairman of NEDA. In Meghalaya, NPP and BJP are part of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, but in Garo Hills, the MDA has not honoured the BJP MDC. Since no solution was coming, I requested Himanta ji to intervene or instruct Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to act. After that, we saw some developments from the government, but since they do not match employees’ demands, they are not ready to accept. They want all 44 months of salaries cleared.”

It may be recalled that in August, Marak wrote to Sarma in his capacity as NEDA chairman, urging him to topple the NPP-led Executive Committee in GHADC. In his letter, Marak accused the Meghalaya Government of “systemic failure” in upholding the GHADC mandate and of neglecting the Garo Accord.

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