TURA, May 5: The newly formed executive committee (EC) of the GHADC led by CEM Benedic R Marak on Wednesday gave three days’ time for employees protesting against pending salary issue under the banner of the Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) to call off their work boycott and resume their duties warning that no further conciliatory approach would be made if they failed to do so.
A notification issued to the NGEA on behalf of the EC by its Joint Secretary termed the occupation of the GHADC premises by the NGEA members and obstruction of employees willing to rejoin their duties as illegal and unlawful without authorisation from the Council, Superintendent of Police or the District Magistrate.
The notification, while citing the ruling of the Supreme Court in an earlier unrelated case, said that their ‘continuous act of occupying the Council premises and restraining the general public and officers to and from the Council premises is not only grossly illegal but also violates the order of the SC’. “If the EC decides to file an FIR against your association, all of you will land in trouble,” it warned.
The notification pointed out that the ongoing pending salary crisis was merely an inheritance and not the creation of the new EC, but all efforts to make the agitating employees see reason was met with blunt refusal.
“The EC has the best of intentions to devise ways and means to solve the present situation. However, the enormous problem cannot be solved in a month or so without your cooperation,” it said.
The notification further pointed out that so far, no harsh legal action on part of the police or the court was being initiated against them but continuation to defy the authorities would compel the EC to take appropriate legal action against them.
Pointing out that ‘Council employees are not government servants and unprotected under Article 309 of the Constitution of India’, the notification warned that the EC may be compelled to terminate their services or otherwise resort to ‘no work, no pay’ system for the duration of their work boycott.
“The new EC intends no harm to you and all possible efforts will be made to solve the salary crisis. However, if by your unreasonable and adamant attitude you continue to indulge in illegal activities, the EC will be left with no option but to take action which will result in immense difficulties to you,” the notification cautioned.
