From Our Correspondent
TURA, Aug 13: BJP leader and Tura MDC Bernard Marak on Wednesday alleged that funds intended for developmental projects under the jurisdiction of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) were appropriated by the State Government in violation of constitutional provisions and established norms.
In a letter to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Bernard cited the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which were enacted to strengthen local governance, including in Sixth Schedule areas, through duly elected bodies within the Autonomous District Councils.
“Para 1.1 of the Agreed Text for Settlement (ATS), commonly referred to as the Garo Accord, explicitly affirms this intent. Unfortunately, the NPP-led Executive Committee has failed to assert GHADC’s rightful claim to these funds, reportedly due to undue political interference from your party leadership,” he asserted.
According to the Tura MDC, despite raising objections with the Urban Affairs Minister, no corrective action was taken. Instead, the Tura Municipal Board floated tenders without issuing public notices through social or print media.
“It has come to my attention that these works will be awarded to contractors affiliated with your party, allegedly on the recommendation of senior political figures. This pattern of interference has severely undermined the integrity of the Sixth Schedule institution, and there is no transparency in the tendering process. The distinction between local governance under GHADC and general governance under the State Government appears to have been disregarded through political dominion. Moreover, central funds have been misutilized and diverted, with portions reportedly used for salary disbursements by the NPP Executive Committee — an issue for which an inquiry was sought but remains unaddressed,” he claimed.
The BJP leader further alleged that there were no elected Urban Local Bodies in the municipal areas of Garo Hills, as the public had consistently opposed their formation in the past. He said Ward Commissioners had been unlawfully nominated without public knowledge, all of whom belonged to the NPP.
Alleging that several proposed works lay outside the notified municipal boundaries in violation of the Governor’s notification, Bernard urged the government to immediately halt the tendering process and transfer the sanctioned funds to GHADC, which he maintained was the rightful authority over Urban Local Bodies in Sixth Schedule areas.
AHAM fears GHADC’s impending collapse
Meanwhile, the A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM) has warned of an impending collapse of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) as the salary crisis for its employees enters its 34th day without resolution. Employees are protesting for their pending dues of 43 months’ salary, while the state government has largely distanced itself from the matter.
In a statement, AHAM said that the prolonged strike has revealed not only the Council’s inability to pay wages but also a complete breakdown in governance and financial discipline.
“This situation is no longer a matter of bureaucratic delay — it is the outcome of deep-rooted mismanagement that has gone unaddressed for years. Every day of inaction is eroding public trust, damaging livelihoods and pushing the GHADC closer to financial and administrative collapse,” said AHAM president, Georgeprince Ch Momin.
Momin noted that the crisis has left even ordinary citizens — not just employees — anxious and frustrated, describing it as a sign that the institution meant to safeguard the region’s autonomy is “crumbling from within.” He attributed the problem to the absence of finance rules, service rules, and broader reforms.
“Without a Finance Rule — there are no clear procedures for revenue collection, budgeting, expenditure monitoring, or auditing and funds can be mis-utilized without consequence. Without Service Rule there is no framework to protect employees’ rights, set timelines for salary disbursement, or clearly define duties and entitlements,” he said, warning that the crisis will persist without reforms.
AHAM has demanded the immediate payment of all pending salaries by the end of August 2025.
“Employees have worked for years without pay, relying on loans, selling personal belongings, and depending on relatives for survival. Some families have had to withdraw children from school, forego medical treatment or face eviction. Paying salaries in full — not partially, not in installments — is not just a financial necessity, but a moral duty. The EC must clear all dues before August ends to prevent further humanitarian damage,” asserted AHAM.
The organisation has also sought the intervention of the Governor of Meghalaya to compel the GHADC Executive Committee (EC) to act and issue binding directions to resolve the crisis.
“We call upon the Governor to immediately step in, compel salary payments, and ensure compliance with good governance standards,” AHAM stated.
Additionally, AHAM has called for a transparent, independent, and time-bound public inquiry into financial mismanagement within the GHADC to uncover the truth behind revenue leakages, misappropriation, or administrative negligence, in order to restore accountability and public trust.
“We also call for the immediate formulation and implementation of Finance and Service Rules as without these the GHADC will continue to operate like an unregulated body with no protection for its employees or resources,” Momin said.
AHAM stressed the need for comprehensive administrative reforms, including modernising revenue collection systems to plug leakages, professionalising administrative staff through training and accountability measures, and implementing digital bookkeeping and public transparency portals to allow citizens to track revenue and spending.
The organisation warned that the non-payment of 43 months’ salaries is creating a humanitarian crisis and damaging the social fabric of Garo Hills.
“Families are skipping meals, selling land or livestock and living under extreme stress. Local businesses are also suffering because employees — who are also customers — have no purchasing power. The economic slowdown is already visible in Tura and other towns,” it noted.
AHAM reiterated its call for the Governor to mandate the immediate release of salaries, order the creation of finance and service rules, and oversee administrative reforms.
Momin cautioned that the crisis affects everyone in Garo Hills. “GHADC is responsible for local governance — if it collapses, our rights under the Sixth Schedule will weaken. Mismanaged funds mean less money for roads, schools, and community services. If we do not fix these problems now the same crisis will happen again — and one day, GHADC might collapse completely,” he warned.