Meghalaya NGOs threaten stir over unpaid dues to GHADC employees

TURA:

A conglomeration of Garo Hills-based NGOs has lashed out at the Administrator of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Dr Vijay Kumar D over what they termed as "threat" to the agitating employees of the Council.

The NGOs comprising the Garo Students' Union (GSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE) and Achik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO) have "warned" the Administrator that Garo Hills will not "bow down to tyranny".

“It is true the GHADC is under a financial crunch and that employees have not been paid for more than 30 months. They have, however, still kept GHADC running which is commendable. Instead, they are being threatened," a release issued by the NGOs on Sunday read.

The NGOs have threatened to call for month-long agitation in GHADC and Garo Hills if even one of the employees is terminated.

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Questioning the "silence" of the Administrator over the various alleged scams, the NGOs asked why the whip was now being cracked on the unpaid employees.

They also raised the question of the non-existence of financial rules in the GHADC which left no one accountable for revenue collections – "a loophole that has led to financial corruption."

Last week, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma highlighted the need for the Centre to sanction more funds to the Autonomous District Councils to enable them to functioning efficiently.

Meanwhile, the NGOs have called for a boycott of the upcoming GHADC election until the time their demands of non-inclusion of non-tribals in the GHADC elections was met.

On the issue of a separate electoral roll, the GSU stated that it had been raising the demand since 2007. They also made a successful boycott of the 2010 municipal elections over the participation of non-tribals.

“We are fully with the NGEA (Non-Gazetted Employees Association) to boycott the GHADC elections,” they added.

Also Read: Meghalaya NGO warns against giving tickets to non-tribals for GHADC polls