Amid protest, GHADC orders release of employees’ salaries

TURA, Sep 19: In a big relief to its employees who had been agitating for release of pending salaries, the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) on Thursday ordered the disbursement of one month’s salary as per the recommendation of the Fifth Pay Commission.
As per the order, all arrears of the employees of the GHADC would also be paid as and when the council fund permits. The employees, under the aegis of the Non-Gazetted Employees’ Association (NGEA), had been on a cease work for weeks, clamouring for the release of the pending dues.
With the GHADC succumbing to the demands of the agitating staff, BJP leader and Tura MDC Bernard Marak lauded the Council’s decision and said, “The agitation of the GHADC employees demanding salary release has finally bore fruit. The Executive Committee of the GHADC finally agreed to pay the salary of the Council employees as per the recommendation of the 5th Pay Commission. The Council had to consider the fact the notification was issued by the previous NPP Executive Committee and the present Executive Committee has approved its implantation taking all the risks.” Bernard, while expressing gratitude to the GHADC CEM and his team of executive members for taking the bold step, said that it was the duty of all the elected members to look into the welfare of the Council and its employees.
“With the 5th Pay Commission in execution, it is an uphill task for the GHADC but a united effort would sort out all obstacles,” he added.
The Tura MDC, however, said that the NPP alone cannot solve issues faced by GHADC but that the BJP was there at the Centre.
Bernard also maintained that the Agreed Text for Settlement, signed by the ANVC groups, was the key to strengthen the autonomous district councils in the state.