By Phrangsngi Pyrtuh
It has been 13 years since the old assembly building built during the British era mysteriously caught fire and was razed. For 13 years the state government operates from a temporary auditorium at Rilbong. For 13 years the people have waited for a permanent replacement. One generation of our children are set to grow without ever an idea of an Assembly building- a physical structure which signifies the existence of a legislature. The older generation laments the absence of it and few senior citizens have expressed their outrage on dilly dallying over the controversial question of the location of the new assembly building. To its credit the government has taken an earnest step to set up the High Power Committee (HPC) to oversee the scouting of a location (aka site). The HPC was formed with the chairman of the legislative assembly as its head. The last 13 years have failed to yield anything positive. The Russian roulette politics of the state is to be partly blamed. Each time the government changes, so does the HPC’s recom-mendation on the site for the building. The failure of the HPC over the years has forced the Meghalaya Assembly to adopt a resolution on April 10, 2013 entrusting the HPC with the task of not only finding but also constructing the new assembly building.
A legislature needs a permanent site from which to function. While the constitution does not identify the requirement of a physical structure for legislative assembling which could very well mean that legislative gathering could even be held under a banyan tree or the streets of Delhi (the Janta darbar of Arvind Kejriwal et al), but it has been a practice to hold legislative assemblies under a fixed roof. Ever since the formation of the state the British made assembly structure at Khyndailad has been the power centre. The Old Meghalaya Legislative assembly was commi-ssioned by the British. Apart from being a heritage site the old assembly building housed important files and records from by gone eras. Sadly all was lost during the great assembly inferno. No one knows what actually happened. Investigation did not reveal much. Since 2001 Meghalaya has been functioning without a legislative assembly. By the look of things we are in for the long haul until we finally have our own assembly building.
As mentioned, one generation would be growing up not knowing where the assembly building is. Can we expect them to identify with a political class which does not attach any concern for the subject? Thirteen years is a long wait in politics by any yardstick. On the other hand the Chief Minister has found himself a nice Rs 10 crore nest within a few years of his reign. Can we expect Dr Mukul Sangma to be as resolute to have the assembly constructed within his rule? While not a single stone has been moved to start the construction, ministers and bureaucrats who started from nothing have gone to have lavish mansions and huge bungalows. The interest of the people which in this case is to have an assembly building is swept aside for more personal rent seeking interests.
The politics around the New Assembly building has become a political game. From Mawdiangdiang to Upper Shillong to Tara Ghar the ambit of choice(s) on site selection has left even the most optimistic bewildered so much so that High Court has to step in to ameliorate the situation. So far the choice from the government seems to contradict the general sentiments of the public. Proceeding with the construction minus the approval of the social group is not worth the trouble. The location of the Assembly must be amiable and agreeable to everyone. It is high time the HPC seek public views through various mediums to identify a consensual location. Taking the public into confidence seems to be the only option left to initiate the process and ensuring the success of the New assembly construction.
Various logistical, geographical, economical and socio-ecological impacts should guide the requisite criteria. The question of locating the Assembly within the premises of Shillong city cannot be ruled out. Land scarcity in the city should not restrict the HPC to explore a possible site other than those that are identified as historical (read Tara Ghar) or environmentally sen-sitive.
A major part of Shillong is under the Cantonment which is occupied by the armed forces. The HPC must explore such areas to get the required land from the Ministry for the new assembly building. In early 2011 Dr Mukul Sangma made an earnest pitch in the assembly for acquiring excess land (for development and infras-tructure purposes) from the Defense forces and in 2012 apprised the assembly that a committee would be set up to facilitate steps to transfer land from the defense ministry to civil authorities. If the defense ministry is ready to part with land for the construction of a flyover there should be no problem for the same to cede a part of the huge land under its control for the construction of the New Assembly building. Moreover the fact that land encroachment is a real issue should invite the undivided attention of the state government.
It is about time the site conundrum is resolved once and for all. The new HPC under the chairmanship of speaker A T Mondal has asserted that decision taken would be timely and the construction of the house will be done in record time. We only have hopes that this HPC would remain true to its purpose.