Shillong, July 18: Tura MDC Bernard N. Marak on Saturday has strongly criticized the continued non-payment of salaries to employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), describing it as a betrayal of public trust and an assault on the constitutional autonomy of the Council.
In a statement, Marak alleged that the NPP-led Executive Committee had extended its term by making promises of reforms, including the regularisation of employees’ salaries and clearance of salary backlogs, but said those assurances have remained unfulfilled.
He said he had personally approached the District Council Affairs (DCA) Department and urged officials to clear the pending files and release the required funds without further delay. According to him, there is no justification for forcing GHADC employees and their families to endure prolonged financial hardship.
Marak also questioned the effectiveness of the State Government’s much-publicised reforms, claiming that instead of strengthening the GHADC, they have made the Council increasingly dependent on the State Government, thereby weakening its constitutional autonomy. He alleged that the continued delay in the release of funds reflects the government’s use of financial control as a means of exerting political pressure.
The Tura MDC further raised concerns over allegations of illegal transportation of coal and boulders through fake challans, duplicate documents, and trucks operating without valid TNT and Transit Passes. If proven true, he said, such practices would result in significant revenue losses and warrant an independent and transparent investigation.
Marak stated that, at his request, the GHADC Executive Committee had passed a resolution to verify TNT and Transit Passes, as well as challans of trucks transporting coal and boulders across Garo Hills. However, he alleged that no implementation order has been issued despite the resolution being adopted, raising serious questions about the authorities’ commitment to enforcing the law and safeguarding public resources.
He called on the District Council Affairs Department to immediately release the pending funds to enable GHADC employees to receive their rightful salaries without further delay. He further argued that continued withholding of funds not only causes hardship to employees but also runs contrary to the assurances made under the Tripartite Agreement and undermines the constitutional safeguards guaranteed under the Sixth Schedule.
Marak concluded by stating that the people of Garo Hills deserve a government that honours its commitments, respects the autonomy of the GHADC, and upholds transparency and accountability, adding that political promises must be matched with concrete action rather than excuses.
