Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 13: Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma has asked the Public Works Department (Building) to speed up getting the approval of the new design for the dome of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang.

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“I have already instructed and requested the PWD (Building) to expedite approval of the new design without which the work cannot start,” Sangma told reporters after conducting an inspection to the construction site today.

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Stating that the progress of work is satisfactory, the Speaker however said, “The middle portion which is the main chamber –where the dome had collapsed – that part is still not started, otherwise the left wing and the right wing (of the new Assembly building) are almost completed.”

“80 percent of the works are already completed but we can’t have an Assembly without the main chamber. There is a new design of the dome which has to be vetted and approved by two Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) – IIT Roorkee and IIT Guwahati. So we are waiting for their approval of the new design,” he said.

Sangma also informed that he is also in the process of reconstituting the High Powered Committee (HPC).

The dome of the under-construction new building of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had collapsed on May 22, last year.

When asked, the Speaker said the implementing agencies have been asked to remove debris (caused by the dome collapsed) by April 15.

“That was the only deadline we have set today because without which the work cannot start and without the approval of the new design work cannot start. Only when the work starts then we can set a timeline (for completion of the new Assembly building),” he added.

On the allegations of corruption in the construction of the new Assembly, the Speaker said, “Such allegations of corruption have not come to his notice. If there is any I can assure you that my office will be very transparent in this regard and we will try our best not to have any kind of allegation…we will try to be transparent as much as possible.”

He assured by saying, “I would look into this but just based on somebody (allegation) or without any written complaint or without any proof or evidence, I cannot just go about kind of taking unnecessary things out in the open. I will certainly look into it but as I told you earlier it has not come to my notice yet but if it comes if I feel that there is some kind of misconduct or something unusual I will certainly look into it.”

Admitting that the Assembly has been functioning from a temporary building for several years, the Speaker said that he would like to see the new building of the Assembly completed during his time.

“I feel that I should be able to step into that new Assembly during my time. I don’t know there are so many things. This is the only first phase. There will be a second phase which will include the staff quarters, the minister’s quarters, speaker’s residential quarter, MLA hostels, hospital, school,” he said while informing that they have decided to push the government to also start the second phase simultaneously side by side.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 13: The budget session of the eleventh Meghalaya Legislative Assembly will be held from March 20 to March 28.

The calendar for the upcoming session was approved during a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) chaired by the Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma here today.

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The meeting was attended by deputy chief minister in-charge parliamentary affairs Prestone Tynsong, former minister Lahkmen Rymbui and opposition members – Charles Pyngrope of the AITC and Dr Celestine Lyngdoh of the Congress.

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“We decided to have a full budget session starting from March 20 till March 28,” Sangma told reporters.

“Since it is the financial year ending month so our officials and the government need to clear all the pending financial issues so we decided to end the budget session on March 28 so that March 29 to 31 will be available for the officials in the secretariat and districts to clear the financial dues,” he added.

He said there will be seven working days of which government business has been allotted for five days while for private members’ business for two days.

Sangma also informed that the election of the Deputy Speaker will be held on March 20.

“We are giving notification from tomorrow so that intending candidates can file their nominations and we will have the election on the first day of the budget session,” he said.

The Speaker said, “It is up to them (opposition parties). If they file the nomination everyone is welcome. But if they don’t file, of course like me, the deputy speaker will also be elected unopposed.”

When asked, Sangma said, “It is five days for government business. It is at the discretion of the Speaker so I may extend the time. I have sat in parliament where discussion went till midnight 12 am so if not till midnight but will have till late evening if necessary if required.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker informed that he has received applications from the Congress and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) requesting for his recognition while the Voice of the People Party has not submitted any kind of indication to be part of the opposition bench.

“The office is examining the matter,” he said while adding that the Congress and AITC are seeking recognition as separate entities and not as a Forum.