SHILLONG/ TURA: Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC) has accused GHADC of diverting funds released by the State government to use it for Tura by-poll instead of releasing the pending salary of the agitating employees.
In a statement issued to the media on Tuesday, MPYC president Richard Marak said that in recent days the chief minister has been blamed for not releasing the funds for the GHADC, but recently, the State government released Rs. 2.5 crore to the GHADC for payment of salaries to the staff. In addition to this, there is massive revenue collection in the treasury of the GHADC amounting to around Rs. 20 lakh daily, Marak claimed.
“It has come to our notice that till date the salaries of the staff has not been paid, but instead all the public money is being withdrawn by the Executive Committee formed by the National People’s Party, the Garo National Council and the Bharatiya Janata Party for use in the coming by-election to the Tura Lok Sabha seat,” Marak alleged.
According to Marak, this has resulted in employees of the GHADC staging sit-in protests and confronting the Deputy CEM on Tuesday regarding the withdrawal of fund and non- payment of salaries.
“After all their talks about streamlining the GHADC and strengthening it, they have shown their true colours as once they see money, they are worse than the previous Committee they were pointing their fingers at,” Marak alleged.
According to the Youth Congress leader, the present Executive Committee of NPP- GNC and BJP combine is proving to be the most corrupt and power hungry.
“If they are depending on looting the GHADC to send an MP to Delhi, then we all know what kind of an MP the people of Garo Hills will be electing. This is injustice,” Marak said.
According to MDC Stevie Marak, this was never the situation when the Executive Committee was led by the Congress.
GHADC women staff may take over protest
With salaries of employees of GHADC pending for over nine months and no visible signs of action from authorities, the women employees are contemplating to take over the mantle from their male counterparts and begin an all out protest in the days to come.
According to the employees, they had tried to meet GHADC Deputy CEM Augustine R Marak to discuss the issue but their request was denied.
Soon after, the women employees gathered at the Captain Williamson Sangma Point to discuss on what needs to be done.
“With the Model Code of Conduct in place in view of the upcoming Tura by-election, we will first discuss the issue with our lawyers. We will decide whether to cease work and go on an all out strike from Thursday onwards depending on what they say,” the women employees said.
