Non-utilisation of Rs 18 cr lands GHADC in HC

TURA, Dec 5: The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) is once again back in the Meghalaya High Court with a case, and this time it is over the reported accumulation of Rs 18 crore in its coffers.
The Non-Gazetted Employees Association of the district council, through its lawyer PT Sangma, has alleged that an amount of Rs 18 crore is lying with the council and notwithstanding such an accumulation, the authorities have failed to pay the pending salaries of the employees.
The High Court has, meanwhile, given a February 5 deadline to the Council authorities after its lawyer S Dey sought time to be briefed with the details from the authorities concerned.
However, sources from within the GHADC allege that the amount has been realised from taxes and other revenues generated by the Council, which was to be used to dole out the pending salaries of its staff.
It is worth mentioning that the backlog from monthly dues yet to be paid to the GHADC employees has crossed 24 months and there is palpable anger among the several hundred employees who have been long-demanding the release of their pay. The upcoming festive season
of Christmas has also put additional pressure on both the employees and the authorities.