Tura, July 4: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has directed the Chief Secretary in the state to facilitate a fresh inquiry into the complaint petition filed by several employees of the GHADC alleging that the non-payment of salaries led to the deaths of as many as 21 of its employees.
The complaint petition was filed on August 14, 2020 by then NGEA leaders Flaming B Marak, Senora Johny Arengh, Brithen Sangma and four others where they alleged that failure to pay their salaries since 2018 by authorities led to the deaths of the employees, some of whom included their family members, as they could not meet the financial costs of their medical treatment.
The direction from the Commission comes after the petitioners expressed dissatisfaction with the contents of the earlier inquiry report submitted by Aldous Mawlong, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary District Council Affairs Department on December 15, 2020. The petitioners observed that their statements were not even recorded in the said inquiry report.
The case was placed before the camp sitting of the Commission at Tura where the Commission agreed with the views of the petitioners that the inquiry report was not satisfactory and a fresh inquiry needed to be initiated. The fresh inquiry is to be conducted by an Officer of the rank of Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya and the detailed report of which should be submitted within 60 days from the date of receipt of the order.
