From C K Nayak
New Delhi, Dec 12: Governor Satya Pal Malik’s requisition of five rooms permanently at the new Meghalaya House in the posh Vasant Vihar of New Delhi for his guests appears to have caught the state official circles in a catch-22 situation.
After he had drawn criticism for ordering a luxury car for his use in the national capital, this unusual desire of the First Citizen of the state is yet to be complied with as the government is examining the matter from all angles. The General Administration Department(GAD) which handles such matters, is neither able to reject the matter coming as it does from the governor nor is it able to right away accommodate this unprecedented desire.
Recently, the state government, on the orders of the Governor’s office, had written a note seeking permanent booking of five rooms for Malik at the Vasant Vihar property, whether or not he is in the city.
This is despite the fact that two suites have been permanently kept reserved for the Governor and the Chief Minister at the facility. These are not given to anyone for use. Another suite in the old Meghalaya House, located at Abdul Kalam Road (formerly Aurangzeb Road) in New Delhi, is reserved for the Governor and the Chief Minister.
The standing practice is that if both happen to be in the national capital at the same time, the suite at the old Meghalaya House goes to the Governor. The Chief Minister can stay at the new Meghalaya House or take a room at the old Meghalaya House. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma seldom stays in either of the facilities. He prefers to stay at a bungalow, adjacent to Nagaland House, which his father, the late PA Sangma, had used as his official residence as an MP for decades. Booking five rooms permanently at the Meghalaya House by a Governor or a lawmaker is unprecedented.
Informed sources said that the GAD had written to the Resident Commissioner, who is the administrative head of the Meghalaya Houses in Delhi, for comments. The matter is uncomfortably resting at the Commissioner’s table
The basic objective behind the construction of the new Meghalaya House was to address the problem of lack of accommodation for persons, including students, from Meghalaya who come to the national capital for various purposes, including treatment.
The three-storey new Meghalaya House, inaugurated by the then Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, has a two-layer basement with 19 rooms and two dormitories. In addition to the two suites for the Governor and the Chief Minister, it has five VIP suites for Ministers and top officials.
The old Meghalaya House underwent a makeover some time ago involving a tidy sum.