High Court asks Govt & JHADC to sit & resolve pending royalties on minerals of 84 crores

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 29, 2020

The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) is facing severe financial crisis and is incapable to pay the salaries of its employees due to non payment of shares of royalties on mineral by the Meghalaya.

This was disclosed in the hearing of writ petition filed by Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council Staff Association (JHADCSA) against the JHADC and others.

The Association filed the writ petition in the Court as they have not received their salaries from December last year amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

The legal counsel representing the JHADC informed that the Council has not received the amount of royalty for the financial year 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 till today which is entitled to receive from the Government of Meghalaya by way of royalty approximately an amount of Rs. 84 crores.

The Counsel informed that the salary of December 2019 amounting to Rs. 6.53 crores is paid to the employees of the JHADC.

Given that the salaries issues of the members of JHADCSA have not been cleared from January, 2020 to date and the matter requires urgent attention, viewed the Court.

The Court on October 28, 2020 directed the Executive committee of JHADC and District Council Affair (DCA) Department to sit together and resolve the issue of payment of royalty due to the JHADC from the Government of Meghalaya.