Tura, Dec 19: Urging for support to the ongoing streamlining of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, Secretary Rikse R Marak appealed to its employees to work diligently, maintain tranquility, exercise patience and give an opportunity to the current administration to reform the present system for the betterment and welfare of the staff and the inhabitants of Garo Hills.

The appeal follows after complaints have come about staff of the GHADC being pressured not to attend to their duties in office by striking members of its Non-Gazetted Employees Association.

Despite facing a severe financial crunch, the GHADC administration has begun processing the release of two months salaries, that of July and August 2018, for its workers ahead of Christmas.

As work got underway for disbursement of salaries, complaints have come in about how workers from several departments have been asked to stay away by some leaders of the NGEA.

With the possible threat of the disbursement work being hampered, the GHADC Secretary has approached the police with a FIR against the NGEA for trying to stop the progress of the work which is in line with salary disbursement.

The NGEA is already on a protest dharna outside the council complex after their meeting on Monday in which they demanded nothing less than three months salaries under the revised pay scale. That demand has been rejected by the GHADC Administrator citing the financial crisis and only two months’ salary under the old pay scale is being prepared.

The ongoing protest strike by the employees has also been disapproved by the district administration of West Garo Hills on the grounds no permission was given for any hartal other than a meeting of its employees on Monday.

“As you all are aware of the ongoing problems with the GHADC, I, as the Secretary to the Executive Committee, Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, would like to urge upon you, the staff and officers of the GHADC, to maintain tranquillity and exercise patience and give opportunity to the Administration to reform the present system for the betterment and welfare of the staff and the inhabitants of Garo Hills, Meghalaya. Due to the ongoing financial crisis in the GHADC office, the administration of the GHADC was not in a position to clear out the pending salary dues to its employees and staff,” mentioned the appeal by GHADC Secretary Rikse R Marak.

“However, the Administration of the GHADC has been able to move the State Government, and at present, we are in a position to release two months of salary. We are also aware and concerned that due to the ongoing financial crisis at GHADC, many of the staff and employees of the GHADC are facing problems in their personal lives. The process of streamlining this office is going on in order to curb unnecessary expenditures, plug all the loopholes from where pilferage of revenue is taken place and to increase revenue collection so as to make this office self sustainable. This will however take some time,” the appeal added.