Meghalaya: Teachers’ salaries withheld on non-submission of UC in North Garo Hills
From Our Correspondent, TNT News | Tura, June 18, 2018:
The non-submission of utilization certificates (UC) of a Mendipathar Secondary School's building in North Garo Hills, that has been lying undone for close to a decade now has allegedly cost the teachers of the school dearly.
It was reported that the the salaries of teachers of this school have been withheld following the non submission of utilization certificates (UC) of a school building.
The non-payment of teachers' salaries has also not gone down well with the Achik Youth Council (AYC), who paid a visit to the school this afternoon.
"What has teachers' salaries got to do with the completion of the building anyway. Were the teachers' the contractors of the school building that they have to be punished? This is non-sensical to say the least," said general secretary, Maxbirth G Momin.
Apparently pay has been held up for the teachers for the past 3 months after the salaries were credited to the DSEO, NGH.
The aggrieved teachers had even thought of agitating to seek a redressal but stopped short of doing so owing to the impact the student community of the school would have.
According to the NGO, the school had been provided grant for the set up of a school building under NLCPR in the year 2008. The project, worth a little more than Rs 1.21 crores, was awarded to the wife of former MLA, KC Boro, Devibala Boro and was to be completed in the year 2010. However, the contractor stopped work on the project and it has been lying in limbo ever since.
"We have complained numerous times on the matter and even inquiries were done into the matter, but neither was the contract cancelled nor the contractor punished," said one of the aggrieved teachers.
The principal of the school today met the DSEO on the same matter and was apparently asked to wait until Wednesday.
"Interestingly he gave the order for payment stoppage after a verbal order from the Director. Why would he do that? This is extremely irregular and we are going to raise this matter with the concerned people," added Priyam Sangma, another member of AYC.
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The NGO demanded the immediate release of teachers' salaries while also stating such acts were putting the concerned department in very poor light.
"Why are you punishing people who are in no way connected to the contract for the school building? The department should have filed an FIR against the concerned contractor for breach of terms of contract. Instead they are targeting poor teachers," added Maxbirth.
"3 months of salary stoppage has brought our life to a standstill. We just hope the matter is resolved at the earliest and we are able to take care of our lives once again," said another teacher.
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