By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 23: From the streets of Tura to the Chief Minister’s social media handles, the cries of GHADC employees remain unanswered.
For 43 months, they have gone without pay, and even after more than a month of continuous agitation, appeals on Conrad K. Sangma’s online platforms have been met with silence.
What began as sit-ins and rallies has now spilled into the digital space, with employees and their supporters flooding the chief minister’s social media handles in a desperate attempt to draw his attention.
But the cold response from both the government and the chief minister has only deepened their frustration, leaving over a thousand workers and their families struggling in uncertainty.
Among the voices amplified online is that of George Prince Cheran, who wrote: “43 MONTHS WITHOUT PAY—ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! More than 1000 GHADC employees have been protesting for 37 DAYS STRAIGHT in Tura. Their crime? NONE. Their demand? Their own hard-earned salaries—overdue for nearly 4 YEARS!”
He described the situation as not just an administrative lapse but “injustice, neglect and a humanitarian crisis,” holding the GHADC Executive Committee directly responsible.
Cheran, who is also president of the A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM), called for the immediate release of all pending salaries by August 2025, intervention by the Governor of Meghalaya, a public inquiry into GHADC’s financial mismanagement and stronger financial rules to prevent a repeat of the crisis.
“When those who serve the public are deprived of their livelihood, the foundation of governance crumbles,” he said, urging citizens and the media to amplify the employees’ plight.
The employees have already rejected the GHADC Executive Committee’s offer to release four months’ salary, calling it insufficient in the face of dues stretching nearly four years.
For many families, the prolonged delay has meant surviving on loans, pawning belongings and struggling to provide even basic necessities, while authorities remain unmoved.
As the protest enters its sixth week, the demand is no longer just for payment but for accountability. The silence from the state government and the chief minister has turned a wage dispute into a larger question of governance, leaving employees to wonder how long they must shout before those in power choose to listen.
