Shillong, Aug 19: Cabinet Minister and BJP leader AL Hek has stated that the state government is taking steps to address the issue of non-payment of salaries to employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) for the last 43 months.
In response to a query, Hek told reporters on Tuesday: “I am not saying that the state government is not doing anything to solve the issue. We have our chief minister and deputy chief minister in-charge of district council affairs and they are doing their duties to (address the issue).”
Hek however stressed that paying salaries is a bounded responsibility of any institution or government or district council.
When asked, the minister said, “I don’t know if they (ADCs) pay the salaries through their own revenue or if it is being paid by the government,” adding that there is a need to find out the facts.
Regarding BJP Tura MDC Bernard N Marak’s decision to seek Assam CM’s intervention for allowing the party to take over GHADC’s administration, Hek said that bringing their problems to the notice of higher authorities is not wrong.
“They (party leaders) have brought it to the knowledge of the governor, they have brought it to the knowledge of the prime minister and other chief ministers. So to bring it to the knowledge of the higher authorities, it is not a wrong thing. They can go to any higher authorities…that is not a problem,” he stated.
