Garo body calls off hunger strike after CEM assures salary payment

TURA: The A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM) on Monday morning began its indefinite hunger strike in front of the GHADC office to pressure authorities to pay employees salaries but later called off the same after a written assurance by Council CEM, Dipul R Marak that two months’ salary of the employees would be cleared before Christmas.
According to a statement, while two months’ salary will be paid to the employees before Christmas, an additional month’s salary would be released in January.) GHADC Chairman, Denang T Sangma when contacted said that the strike was called off after the CEM and concerned EM negotiated with agitating AHAM members and explained to them the cause for the delay.
“We explained to AHAM leaders that everything has been completed and the delay is due to the process. It is the DC who receives the cheque from the government and the same has been deposited into the treasury today. It is now just a matter of time but the employees will get two months’ salary,” Denang said.
According to the GHADC Chairman, the AHAM had at first sought the release of three months’ salary but relented when the difficulty to do so was explained to them by the CEM.
“We do not have enough funds to pay three months’ salary as of now. We explained to them that for now two months’ salary will be paid to the employees and another month’s salary will be paid to them in January when we will have enough funds from collection of revenue from different Council sources. We were able to come to an understanding and they decided to call off their strike,” Denang added.