SHILLONG, May 22: The collapse of the dome erected on top of the under-construction Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang has not gone down well with citizens, political parties, civil society and pressure groups who poured scorn on the corrupt practices by greedy politicians and contractors that has endangered lives.
The state BJP on Sunday asked the state government to immediately halt the construction of the new Assembly building, scrap all projects awarded to UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Ltd in the state and punish those involved in the shoddy construction of the Assembly building.
“I request the government to stop the construction and punish the firm and the authorities supervising this work,” state BJP president, Ernest Mawrie told reporters.
“The government should scrap the deal with this organization as it is written in the tender clauses that if it is found to be not maintaining quality, government can scrap it,” he added.
The BJP leader said when a company or construction firm quotes below the estimates, it means it will not maintain the quality of work.
He said an engineer that he (Mawrie) forwarded the videos and the photographs to said it was clear from the pictures that quality was not maintained.
Stating that it is shameful for the state as shoddy construction of work is getting exposed, one after the other, Mawrie said, “We should be concerned about the lives of people. What if this incident had occurred after the inauguration of the building?”
“We have to first look at the safety measures and conduct a safety assessment on whether or not the building is fit,” he said, adding he will prepare a report and send it to the authority concerned at the Centre and if required, push for a probe by the CBI.
Pointing out that the Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Ltd has sublet work to UP-based Badri Rai and Company and is executing many projects in Meghalaya, Mawrie said the firm is constructing a multipurpose commercial project at the Polo area under the Smart City Project, the PA Sangma Stadium in Tura, roads from Resubelpara to Mendipathar and Phulbari to Rongram.
“The quality of work is very poor and substandard. I know because I have travelled on that road after receiving many complaints and seen it with my own eyes. These projects are for the public and we are concerned about accidents. If accidents do happen, who will take the responsibility?” Mawrie asked.
He said although the BJP is a part of the state’s ruling coalition, it cannot keep silent on issues such as this act of corruption.
Suspended Congress MLA, PT Sawkmie asked the state government to prepare a technical report on the reason behind the dome’s collapse.
Questioning the engineer for making a public statement blaming faulty design, Sawkmie wanted to know how the engineer passed his judgment without obtaining the technical report.
AITC MLA, George B Lyngdoh termed it an ominous sign for the people of the state.
“When the temple of democracy is being built, it is expected that there should be no compromise. The State Assembly, especially the floor and the well of the House signifies hope, upholding of constitutional & democratic values and protection of the state’s and people’s interests. The crumbling of the dome is an ominous sign for the state and its governance,” Lyngdoh said.
Castigating the NPP-led and BJP-backed MDA government, Meghalaya Trinamool Congress tweeted, “An administration that is hollow at its core cannot be trusted with the good governance of Meghalaya. The collapse of the new Assembly Building is a metaphoric reminder of the corruption and ineptitude in the state. The @SangmaConrad-led MDA Government must take accountability!”
“While the Chief Minister is busy playing politics & horse-trading, Meghalaya is crumbling. Corruption cannot be hidden! People of Meghalaya are watching you and everything will be remembered,” the tweet read.
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee working president, PN Syiem slammed the shoddy implementation of one project after another.
He said Sunday’s incident reflects the incompetency of the people involved in the project right from the minister to officials of the Secretariat, the Legislative Assembly and PWD (Building).
“They should resign. The dome has collapsed due to the poor quality of construction. Let us not look at the corruption angle now. All these people are responsible for putting peoples’ lives at risk,” he said.
UDP chef adviser, Bindo Mathew Lanong said it was a bad omen for the state.
“Such shoddy implementation is bound to happen since everyone wants a share of the pie right from the conception of any project,” he said.
He said it was surprising to see technical failure in the present age when highly qualified people like architects and engineers are involved.
Lanong also demanded an inquiry into the implementation of the Assembly project.
Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) member, Angela Rangad said that the dome’s collapse is indicative of the overall collapse of governance in the state.
“For years there has been criminal negligence of public works projects like schools and roads subjecting the citizens and school-going children to much hardship,” she said.
According to her, pushing of infrastructural projects not for development and contributing assets to the state and its people but rather to enrich the politician-bureaucratic nexus has meant more and more substandard and compromised roads and buildings.
“And yet we find public representatives making excuses such as bad weather when we have always lived in a place known for heavy rains and inclement weather. The public infrastructure projects are being controlled by a small coterie of high-level politicians, bureaucrats and contractors who more often than not are also blood relatives,” the TUR member said.
She further stated that this points to the criminal capture of economic and political processes in Meghalaya. “We as citizens have to challenge these corrupt criminals masquerading as public servants,” Rangad added.
The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) demanded the blacklisting of the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Ltd. In a statement, its working president, Dundee Cliff Khongsit asked the government not to entertain any firm from outside without properly examining its credentials.
“We have seen that firms from outside come to the state with the main intention to loot,” Khongsit said. He suspected the government is giving undue favours to this firm.
Khongsit lamented the 60 MLAs, elected by the people, are allegedly ready to compromise on the construction of the Assembly building due to “greed”.
He said the FKJGP may request the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to probe the incident since it (CAG) prepares the audit reports of PSUs.
“We do not want to interfere as to why the firm quoted below the estimated amount. But our contention is that the quality of work should not be compromised,” Khongsit said.
He slammed the site engineers of PWD (Buildings) who were supposed to monitor the quality of work.
