Fire in Assembly building: Judicial probe ordered

SHILLONG, January 10: Meghalaya Government today instituted a judicial probe by a retired High Court judge to enquire into the devastating fire which reduced the historic 80 year-old Meghalaya Assembly building last night. Speaking to newsmen in his office chamber this evening, Chief Minister EK Mawlong said that no foul-play is suspected in the incident. "I feel sad at the incident as I had been associated with the Assembly for a long time", he said. Mawlong was Speaker of the House for two terms before taking over as Chief Minister in March last year. He informed that the State Central Library complex will be temporarily house the Meghalaya House for the coming Budget session in the second week of March. For the permanent construction of a new building a task force, headed by HK Mazahari, Commissioner, Secretariat Administration was constituted. He said the task force would decide whether the building would be constructed on the same spot or in any other places. "We are officially informing the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha about the disaster", Mawlong said when asked whether the State government would seek Central assistance to rebuild the Assembly building. While the cause of the fire is yet to be established, the Chief Minister said that the fire originated from Room No. 13 where the Private Secretary to the Speaker sits. Refuting press reports about the damage caused by the fire, Mawlong said that though the building was completely gutted the library and Assembly proceedings since 1972 could be salvaged. Meanwhile, the blaze was finally extinguished around 2 am last night though smoke was still coming out from the debris till after 4 pm today when this scribe visited the spot.