Workers go on two-day mass leave
TURA: In view of the government failing to respond to their charter of demands, muster roll workers from Garo Hills have decided to go on a mass casual leave for two days starting on Wednesday. Over the last few weeks, casual workers under the banner of the All Meghalaya Muster Roll Workers’ Union (AMMRWU) have been staging a series of agitations in an attempt to make the government take note and fulfill their demands. However, the protests so far have fallen on deaf ears and the workers are no closer to getting their demands fulfilled. Earlier in protest against the government apathy, the workers had undertaken the donning of black badges to work, sit-in demonstration for an hour, etc. which failed to evoke a response. Some of the demands of the casual workers include withdrawal of Fifth Pay recommendation to scrap muster roll appointment, regularisation of service as per merit, equal pay for equal work as per SC order, minimum wage as per latest rate, clearance of pending arrears and others.
Pioneers want retirement benefit
SHILLONG: The retired pioneers of Meghalaya Civil Task Force have sent a letter to the Principal Secretary, Labour department on Tuesday requesting for lump sum compensation to them. In the letter, they pointed out that the government has treated the pioneers as casual workers and paid monthly salary as per the minimum wages Act 1948. The Labour department has fixed the retirement age at 58 years, however, there is no rule of retirement age for casual workers and they can continue to work as long as they are physically fit to do their work, it further said. They have urged the government to pay minimum compensation of Rs 1,00,000 per retired pioneer as bonus or as retirement benefit.
Training on psychosocial care
SHILLONG: Kyrmen Shylla, Minister in-charge of Revenue and Disaster Management department, while speaking at the inaugural function of the one-day training programme on Disaster Psycho Social Care at the Shillong Club here on Tuesday, said that those who have not witnessed a disaster are untouched by it. Asserting that disasters leave long lasting social, economic and psychological scars, Shylla said that the need of the hour is for all stakeholders in disaster management initiatives to focus their efforts on addressing the psychosocial effects on victims of disasters. MS Rao, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, said that in view of the dearth of professionals in the field of psychological support, the workshop is aimed at capacity building of volunteers who could reach out to victims of disasters and help them in the road to recovery. It may be mentioned that the training programme was organised by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority in collaboration with the National Institute of Disaster Management. Maitreyee Mukherjee, Senior Consultant, NDMA conducted the training programme as resource person.
