SHILLONG: The chairman of Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC), Nikman ch. Marak, in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, has alleged that ‘underage’ and ‘unregulated’ workers are employed by contractors and businessmen in Garo Hills and demanded legal action on the erring officers and contractors.
Marak said that the workers are found to be working without any proof of identity such as EPIC card, age proofs and the certificate from the Gaonbura, which is mandatory as per the Meghalaya Residents safety and Security Act, 2016. The registration for the workers is also mandatory under Meghalaya Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act in the office of District Labour Officer, he added.
He further alleged that the workers who do not carry valid identity proof resort to committing crimes like rape, kidnapping and/or murder of minor tribal girls, assault of government servants adding that data of such instances can be availed from the various police stations in Garo Hills.
“Since those illegal labourers are taking undue advantage of the negligence and leniency of the government, these regular phenomena need to be done away with by way of enforcing appropriate legal action against those perpetrators and the contractors concerned as well. Legal action should also be initiated against the erring officers under appropriate sections of the law,” Marak said.
