By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 29: The issue of non-payment of the salaries of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) employees is likely to witness a breakthrough after Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, on Friday said that the state government will endeavour to provide financial support to the cash-strapped Council.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting on Saturday, the chief minister said, “We need to understand that the Council is an autonomous body and its entire work and finance are independent. Councils are not linked directly to the government and they will have to resolve the issues on their own, but we are there to support them.”
The chief minister also said the GHADC is drafting a letter, seeking financial aid from the government, and based on that, the different departments will take decisions.
A meeting was convened on Saturday to discuss the core issue plaguing the Council, which was attended by the Chief Secretary, GHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Deputy CEM and officials of the Finance department.
The GHADC recently saw a ruckus that broke out on the Council premises on Thursday after hordes of angry employees reportedly prevented vehicles of officials from leaving after work, causing a stand-off where a protester sustained bruises, leading to stone pelting and damage to vehicles.
According to the chief minister, as per the information, vehicles were trying to move out of the premise wherein it hit one of the protesters, following which a “misunderstanding” took place. However, the chief minister said he cannot confirm the details as he was awaiting an official report from the West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police.
Stating that incidents like these can be avoided, the chief minister said that people can approach the Council and Government about their issues but they should not stop work from taking place. “Stopping the work of the Council is not appropriate. It is only by working that we will find a solution to this,” he said.
The chief minister also said that if such things continue, it will indicate that there is a different motive to stop the work.
Earlier, the chief minister had exhorted the employees and the Executive Committee to work in tandem and find a solution to the issues.
On Friday, MDA Spokesperson and senior NPP leader, James Sangma, has called for an early solution to the ongoing crisis in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). Sangma, on Friday, said that the situation has taken an unfortunate turn while, at the same time, maintaining that the new Executive Committee is trying its best to resolve the issue of non-payment of salaries to the Council employees.
“Officers attending office and trying to work is a beginning of the efforts to resolve the problem at GHADC and trying to stop their entry (into the Council) and disrupt the environment do not serve any purpose,” James said.
Tura MP Agatha K Sangma, too, had assured the agitating employees of the GHADC that she would personally look into the pending salary issue while urging them to pull the plug on the agitation. She had also asked them to accept the five months’ salary being offered to them, considering the global pandemic that has begun to badly affect the state.