The Uttaranchal Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Commission has moved the state high court over non-payment of salary and non-availability of staff for the last one and a half years. The court has issued a showcause notice to the state returnable in four weeks directing it to pay the salaries. The panel had been constituted by the previous BJP government.In the last 18 months of Congress rule, except for an official car, the commission has not been provided even basic facilities like office, staff or a permanent secretary. Girish Lal Tamta was appointed chairman of the commission by the BJP government for three years. The commission has as its other members S.S. Chauhan and S.S. Nagia.Not happy with the attitude of the Congress government, Tamta went to the high court demanding salary, status and facilities to work. He also alleged that since the inception of the commission, he has been living in a room in his office.The Congress government has got a Bill passed in the Vidhan Sabha, paving way for setting up of three separate panels for SC/STs, Backward Classes and minorities in the state.
