Shillong: A large number of people on Thursday came on the streets in Meghalaya’s Tura town to demand the release of pending salaries of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
The protest comes just days after chief minister Conrad K. Sangma announced that the government would ensure regular release of salaries of employees of autonomous district councils from November 1.
Under the plan, arrears of five months would be cleared before November, after which employees are to receive their salary on time. The announcement, however, did not mention the issue of 44 months of unpaid dues.
Thursday’s protest march was organised by the Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) of GHADC and backed by civil society groups under the Joint NGOs Forum.
“This so-called historic decision does not talk about the 44 months we have already lost. How are we to survive on promises while our families go hungry?” asked a protester who was part of the procession.
“We are not asking for charity, we are asking for what we have already earned,” said another striking employee, pointing to nearly four years of unpaid dues. Another participant, a Nokma from the region, said it was not enough to release their salaries for a few months.
{{/usCountry}}“We are not asking for charity, we are asking for what we have already earned,” said another striking employee, pointing to nearly four years of unpaid dues. Another participant, a Nokma from the region, said it was not enough to release their salaries for a few months.
{{/usCountry}}A college student who joined the march to express solidarity with the employees said, “This is about the dignity of our elders and our future. If councils collapse, our identity is at stake.”