Meghalaya Minister in-charge Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) Samlin Malngiang on Tuesday said that immediate steps would be taken to ensure cleanliness and maintain the prestige of the Secretariat.
Of late, the prestige of the Secretariat is in question. While the principal seat of power has frequently been overcrowded by visitors who came from various constituencies to meet ministers and MLAs, corridors in the Secretariat are also lacking cleanliness.
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Waste bins (bamboo cones) placed in the corner of the corridors became eyesore for many including guests who visited the Secretariat, even as people spit indiscriminately in and around the waste bins.
Even steps leading towards the chief minister’s chamber upstairs were stained with people spitting kwai (betel nut and betel leaf).
The corridors are also covered with old and torn carpets.
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There were days when visitors flooded the corridors of the Main Secretariat, where they had no choice but to sit on the ground while waiting for their turn to meet their respective MLAs who are also ministers.
However Malngiang said that his department would take immediate steps to ensure cleanliness and discipline is maintained in the Secretariat adding that the prestige of the Secretariat cannot be allowed to go down.
Malngiang also said that waste bins would be replaced with new ones and also see that the carpets are changed besides others.
“We also urged all concerns including visitors to help maintain cleanliness,” Malngiang said while expressing his concern.
Asked if visitors’ days would be reduced, Malngiang said department may consider reducing the visitors’ days while admitting that it is necessary for public representatives to meet people in their respective resident so that ministers could also get time to work in office.
As per the present arrangement, three days including Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are visitors’ day while two days Monday and Wednesday are no visitors’ day.
“I hope people would understand that if we (ministers) get to work more, the benefit would be for the people in particular and the state in general. It is a fact that office is meant for us to work and not only to meet people from our constituency except when there are emergency works. It will be of great help if ministers and MLAs who have their chambers in the secretariat would consider meeting people from their respective constituencies in their respective resident,” Malngiang stated.