Forum moves Conrad over bias in pay

TURA, Dec 17: The A’chik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum (AIJIF) has petitioned Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, for his intervention into payment issues faced by the muster roll labourers of the Village Forest Protection Force under Dainadubi State Forest Range in North Garo Hills.
In their memorandum, the forum bemoaned the bias in pay and said that despite rendering their services with dedication for more than two decades, they are paid lesser than regular staff.
It added that this discrimination in the payment of wages has resulted in misery and despair among the workers.
According to the forum, the workers had also submitted several letters in the past to concerned authorities, requesting a hike in their daily wages, only to be fallen on deaf ears.
Stating that the plight of the workers must be prioritised, the forum called for appropriate monetary incentives, payment of wages on par with skilled labourers and timely revision of wages to boost their morale.