TURA, Aug 29:The Non-Gazetted Employees Association in the Garo Hills autonomous District Council (GHADC) has warned that unless the council authorities release their pending dues, latest by September 15, they will be forced to go on a strike.

This announcement comes shortly after a meeting between the leaders of the association with Chief Executive Member (CEM) Albinush Marak in the council office on Tuesday.

If the strike goes ahead, it will be the second time in less than five years that the district council will be brought to a standstill. It will also impact the revenue generation extensively since all land tax in the five districts of Garo Hills is paid to the district council.

The CEM Albinush Marak has assured to release salaries by the month of September but the employees are not buying into the assurance since they say many times promises have been broken.

The GHADC employees numbering several hundred have not been paid salaries for 30 long months. The last time they received their dues was only for two months this year.

“Our pending salaries have touched 30 months. How are we to survive in this world without our pay? We also need to care for our families and run our households. Our children have not been able to pay the annual or the monthly fees in schools and many are facing the threat of expulsion,” asked Brithen M. Sangma.

The spike in prices of all essential commodities, from rice, vegetables, cooking oil to even gas cylinders, has had a massive impact on these families who have been borrowing from generous friends and relatives just to run their home kitchens and put food on their table for their children.

“The prices of essential commodities in the market have reached an all time high. It is not like traders will have compassion and give us a subsidized rate just because we haven’t been paid our salaries. We have to buy household items including rice and vegetables at very high prices just like any other normal citizen,” said Sangma.

To make matters worse, the council employees have not been given the promised 5th pay commission, despite long pending demand for it. They continue to receive the old 4th pay commission.

“We remain getting paid with the old 4th pay commission while others like the state and central governments have already touched 5th and 6th pay commissions. With each pay commission hike food items go up in price while we remain in the old structure which is not even given to us in time,” a dejected Brithen Sangma lamented.

He revealed that there is more suffering for the employees after the district council stopped their annual increments in the last few years.

Also Read: AL Hek visits Garo Hills, assures to improve infrastructure and farms

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