TURA: The Non-Gazetted Employees’ Association (NGEA) of the GHADC on Thursday announced that it would boycott the upcoming MDC elections slated for April 9 if the government fails to clear the royalty share of Rs 55 Crores as well as their pending salaries for the past 36 months.
In its memorandum submitted to Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik the association raised various grievances faced by the employees of GHADC due to the pending salaries. The association sought the Governor’s intervention on the non-release of the Rs 55 crore royalty share due to the GHADC and pointed out that it was due to this reason that the Council authorities were unable to clear the pending salaries.
The NGEA also requested the Governor to utilize the amount of Rs.18.20 crores sanctioned by the central government in December last year for various developmental projects, to pay the salaries of the employees. It pointed out that as there was no executive committee in GHADC carrying out the Developmental activities was at the time being impractical.
The association also strongly opposed the announcement made by the Deputy Chief Minister that total amount of Rs.15 Crores would be recovered from the royalty share of GHADC and used for the upcoming election to the GHADC.
“Is the state government really serious on the issue of pending employees’ salaries?! If it can release and recover the royalty share of the GHADC amounting to Rs. 15 Crores for the purpose of spending in the elections, why can’t it do the same and release the legal due share of royalty of the GHADC and pay the salaries to the employees?” the association questioned.
Reminding that 25 employees had earlier died due to lack of treatment on account of pending salaries, the association said that the matter is still pending with the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission. Expressing unhappiness with the current GHADC Secretary, the association also sought that a replacement is brought in her place.
The association re-iterated that it along with all employees were firm on their stand of boycotting the elections and abstaining from work and urged the government to immediately act on the demand and clear the pending salaries.