TURA: After more than a week of disruption owing to protests by employees, normalcy finally returned to the GHADC office on Friday as employees joined work following an order by the Meghalaya High Court.
The court had warned protesting GHADC employees, who were demanding pending salaries, of legal ramifications if they failed to resume duties.
The district council office on Friday was abuzz with activities as employees, both officers and staff, went about attending to work and the executive committee, including chief executive member (CEM) Denang T Sangma, clearing a series of files. “Today was a normal day of work and attendance was almost complete. We are happy and grateful that the situation is back to normal,” said the CEM.
Sangma also mentioned that all efforts would be made to ensure that the staff get two months’ salary by the end of this month as per its assurance to the High Court, which had accepted the EC recommendation to pay all pending dues in phases.
On the High Court order of Thursday directing the DC and the SP to enquire if anybody was found causing disturbance, the CEM said it was in the hands of the DC since it was a judicial matter.
A section of the staff who stayed away from work on Thursday had later informed the CEM that they would resume work on Friday. They also tendered an apology to the elected members for using derogatory language.
The High Court is expected to dispose of the case on Monday when the final hearing takes place. The case had been filed by the Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) against the present NPP-led EC for its failure to pay them monthly dues. However, the High Court gave a ruling that asked the staff to end the strike and return to work while allowing the EC to pay the dues in a phased manner.
