Shillong, Aug 6: The Meghalaya government has sought clarification from the CBI over the alleged construction of a temple inside its campus at Mawdiangdiang after receiving complaints that the structure was being built on government land without approval, officials said on Thursday.
In a letter to the DIG and Head of Branch, CBI Anti-Corruption Branch, Shillong, the New Shillong Township Development Agency (NSTDA) said it had received complaints regarding the construction of a religious temple within the CBI campus.
The letter, signed by NSTDA Member Secretary and Director of Urban Affairs PK Boro, reminded the CBI that the land had been allotted under a lease agreement executed on November 14, 2018, exclusively for setting up an office-cum-residential complex.
“As per the Lease Agreement which was signed on 14th November, 2018, the land allotted to your Office was for setting up Office-cum-Residential Complex,” the letter stated.
The NSTDA also referred to Clause 10 of the lease agreement, which provides: “That the lessee shall not construct any structure, or alter any structure erected on the said land without prior permission of the Agency..
“The Lease Agreement as laid down may perhaps invariably be complied with,” the agency said, while requesting the CBI to take “necessary action”.
Officials in the state government said the communication was issued after the agency received representations alleging that the temple was being constructed without obtaining the mandatory approval from the competent authority, as required under the lease conditions.
The issue has also sparked a political row, with the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) questioning the legality of the construction and demanding action if the terms of the lease agreement have been violated. (PTI)
