NONGPOH: The twenty five local youths who were terminated from the Toll Plaza of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in Ri Bhoi, on Friday met the Deputy Commissioner, Rosetta Mary Kurbah seeking her intervention in order to get their job back.
After the meeting, the youths told mediapersons that it is sad to learn that they are being made scapegoat by the pressure groups in their clarifications with the manager of the Toll Plaza to the media recently.
“We have never blamed any NGOs for taking money from the Toll Plaza, it was the headman of the 20th Mile, Jayand Sylliang who is also the Local Director of the Toll Plaza who informed us during our previous meeting with him that they can no longer pay our salaries amounting to more than Rs. 1.30 lakhs per month (Rs. 5500 each) as they have to pay to the NGOs” the youths said, while adding the audio recording of the headman statement is available with them for proof.
The youths along with the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front leaders led by Marcus Marten also gave a memorandum to the DC, urging her to reinstate their jobs.
“We will fight for our rights, we will seek justice and will not be afraid to stand for our rights,” one of the youths said while adding that NGOs instead of blaming, they should have first spoken to the headman of 20th Mile, because he is the one who confessed that the company can no longer give them salaries as they have to pay to the NGOs.
Earlier, leaders of the FKJGP, KSU NKHD and RBYF had recently met the Toll Plaza Manager and clarified that no money was given by the Toll Plaza to any NGOs in the District which is in contrast to the statement of the headman.
