SHILLONG, June 14: With an intention of pressing the Meghalaya government to fulfil their demands, the beleaguered employees of the Mawmluh Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL) under the umbrella of Mawmluh Cherra Cements Employees Union (MCCEU) have begun an indefinite sit-in demonstration in front of the MCCL office here to send a message to the authorities. The sit-in will be carried out every day between 10 am and 5 pm.
Their ‘three-points’ demand includes payment of regular salary to employees besides the arrears, implementation of the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) or the ‘golden handshake’ scheme and the appeal for making plant operational at the earliest.
Talking to reporters, MCCEU general secretary Pynskhem Lyngdoh said that the employees have faced a lot of hardships ever since the plant was closed down. He has requested the state government to immediately resume normal functioning at the cement plant.
Lyngdoh also sought the extension of VRS as an option for employees who are willing to retire.
Asked for his views on the proposed joint venture to revive the MCCL, MCCEU general secretary said that they are unaware about such a proposal but have only read about it in media reports.
Meanwhile, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Executive Member, Grace Mary Kharpuri, who came to meet the agitating employees, said she has been pursuing the matter with the government seeking redressal of the MCCL employees’ problems.
Making it amply clear that she will not be able to resolve the issue, Kharpuri said she can only help by pursuing the matter the concerned authority.
