“We can’t survive anymore”: Garo Hills Autonomous District Council staff join thousands in salary protest

The quiet town of Tura in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills transformed into a sea of voices and placards today, September 4 as nearly ten thousand protestors took to the streets. At the heart of this unprecedented agitation were more than 1,500 employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), who have been deprived of their salaries for an astounding 44 months.

The demonstration, which began in front of the GHADC headquarters, quickly swelled as a cross-section of Garo society joined the rally. Nokmas (village headmen), members of the Garo Students’ Union (GSU), voluntary organizations, and local residents marched shoulder to shoulder, carrying banners that voiced their growing frustration and anger at government inaction.

Protestors accused the authorities of turning a blind eye to the severe hardship faced by GHADC employees, whose lives have been upended by the prolonged non-payment of salaries. “It is impossible to survive without wages for nearly four years. Families are breaking, children’s education is suffering, and basic survival has become a challenge,” lamented one employee amid the protest.

Over the years, employees have submitted several memorandums to the government, demanding that their pending dues be cleared. Yet, the silence from the administration has only deepened their frustration, eventually culminating in today’s massive protest.

The rally culminated in front of the GHADC office, where leaders from different organizations addressed the crowd, warning that if their demands are ignored yet again, the agitation could intensify.