TURA, May 11: The new NPP led Executive Committee in the GHADC has revealed that despite four attempts made to end the ongoing stalemate and reach out to the agitating employees to clear any misgivings and putting across the table the financial condition of the district council and urge them to resume to their duties with an assurance of immediately clearing five months of salary payment, the protesting staff have refused to see reason.
“Right after his election to the CEM position, Benedic Marak had convened a bilateral meeting the same day inviting the striking employees through their Non-Gazetted Employees Association to discuss their demands, vis-à-vis, removal of the Secretary of the Executive Committee and disbursement of their long pending salary of 33 months. Even after a threadbare discussion, the meeting ended inconclusively despite the assurance given by the CEM,” stated Deputy CEM Nikman Ch Marak in an official statement to reveal the long drawn out attempts at bringing normal functioning back to the GHADC.
He said that a second attempt was made on April 28th at Tura circuit house through a joint meeting to which were invited church leaders, council of nokmas, NGO leaders, civil society groups, senior citizens, former militant leaders and other stakeholders.
“The meeting concluded with the formation of a committee under the aegis of “Good Governance of GHADC” and unanimously selected Rev. F D Sangma as its convenor. Accordingly, on April 30th Rev F D Sangma along with other church leaders had met the striking employees but the meeting ended inconclusive,” mentioned Dy CEM Nikman Marak.
Soon after, a meeting between elected MDCs from both the ruling and opposition was held at the circuit house and a high level committee was constituted with Nikman Ch Marak from the ruling side as Convener and Cherak W Momin from the opposition party as Co-convener.
The third attempt at reaching out to the agitating employees was made on May 4th when the high level committee convened a meeting with the NGEA and church leaders in the presence of the CEM at his office chamber.
“Despite the assurance given by the CEM to pay three months salaries and repeated appeals made by the high level committee members, the striking employees have refused to resume their duties and insisted on their demand for change of the Secretary and payment of 12 month salary based on the Fifth Pay Commission. Thus, the meeting ended in a stalemate without reaching any point of agreement,” clarified Nikman Marak with a disappointment that the NGEA had straight away rejected the noble attempts made by various committees, church leaders and stakeholders.
He added that the new EC has been very lenient and even an order directing the employees to return to work within three days was withdrawn to allow them to have another round of discussions, the fourth attempt, on May 10th in the CEM office which once again turned unsuccessful due to the demands of the NGEA.
“The council treasury is reeling under acute financial crisis and is left with a meagre amount of Rs. 96,30,738/- only as updates furnished by the finance department of GHADC. The CEM assured the employees that salaries for five months will be paid based on the fourth Pay Commission and their demand for the fifth Pay Commission shall also be implemented with retrospective effect in the form of arrear after the financial recuperation by the council Treasury. But to the utter dismay of the Executive Committee, these genuine responses were also once again proved to be futile as the NGEA has changed their stance by stressing their demand for clearing of salaries for 12 months affecting the 5th Pay Commission,” said Nikman Marak.