Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 10, 2010:
Opposition MLA O Joy today informed the State Assembly that the present condition of Manipur Bhavan at Guwahati is so deplorable that it has put prestige of Manipur at stake in front of other States.
Raising a call attention motion in connection with the inordinate delay in construction of the Bhavan, Joy, who is also the Legislature party leader of MPP, drew attention of the Works Minister reminding that out of necessity the present Bhavan at Guwahati has been in operation from a private building since 1976 on rent payment of Rs 7600 per month.
However, by 2004, land had been purchased and construction work on for a separate Bhavan began since 2005.Unfortunately, there has been no progress in the construction work and the site is in a pitiable condition today.
Ministers have money and they can afford to stay in hotel.
But compelling the poor MLAs to stay in rooms infested by worms is not right, Joy said, adding that the present condition of the Bhavan is really shameful in front of other States.
Joy also demanded reason behind inordinate delay in construction of the new Bhavan and who should be responsible for it.
In response to the call attention motion, Works Minister K Ranjit explained that construction work is being taken up with limited fund allocated every year.
The total estimated cost of the construction is around 14 crores and so far around Rs 8.50 crores have been utilised and construction work has completed upto to the level of G-floor.
The Minister informed the House that one contractor identified as Ch Rajen is being entrusted to take up the construction work in phase-wise manner.
However, after one sub-contractor too over the work in the name of Rajen, the construction work had remained stall for sometime.
As the Department cannot take action against the sub-contractor, show-cause notice had been send to contractor Rajen, following which construction work resumed since February.
The Minister further said that efforts are being made to complete the construction of the Bhavan by December this year.