The US Secretary of State is scheduled to visit West Bengal, hold meeting with Mamata on Monday
When Mamata Banerjee took over charge at Writers’ Building, she was greeted by untidy stacks of files. Seeing the cluttered look of the offices, a visibly angry chief minister had described the government departments as ‘ghugur basa’ (den of corruption).
Banerjee had then promised to soon clean the mess up, but nothing much happened until the ongoing makeover exercise in the secretariat ahead of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit, scheduled May 7. After this facelift, a freshly painted and decorated VVIP corridor leading to the chief minister’s chamber would welcome Clinton on Monday.
“We have repaired the false ceiling and it has been given a new coat of paint. Some old furniture, which was dumped in the corridors, has been cleared following the chief minister’s instructions. Clinton is expected to spend the maximum time in the chief minister’s room, which was revamped a few months ago. Now, we are decorating it,” said an official.
While the state PWD department has been assigned the task to carry out the facelift, the security establishment is being looked after by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). A team of FBI has already reviewed the security arrangements in various establishments in Kolkata, including the Writers’ Building and the Raj Bhawan.
A security drill also took place yesterday in presence of senior officials from state and Central intelligence. US Ambassador Nancy Powell had earlier met Banerjee on April 30 to discuss the arrangements to be made for Clinton’s visit here.
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A tight security ring has already been put in place around the Writers’ Buildings. Entry of officials and even mediapersons (only one photographer or a cameraman is allowed from each media house) will be restricted on Monday. “Only a few top officials will be given entry slips to enter the first floor of the building during Clinton’s visit. The rest will be asked to spend time in other floors,” said a transport department official.
Some of the chambers on the floor directly above the chief minister’s office where secretaries and ministers sit would remain barred during Clinton’s visit. During the meeting, there will be seating arrangements for only five people from each side, apart from Clinton and Banerjee.
Ministers, too, will have to get entry slips. The main gate to the state secretariat would be barred even for ministers and secretaries for five hours on Monday, and they will have to take the Gate No. 6, which is normally being used by visitors. “I have already asked for my entry slip, which are being given by the home department,” said Transport Minister Madan Mitra.
“I thing the meeting will be over in an hour. I have decided to come to Writers’ Building in the afternoon,” said Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee.
State Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim has decided to skip the secretariat for the day. “There is so much confusion, and so I have decided not to go to Writers’ on Monday. I will rather ask my officers to come and meet somewhere else,” he said.
Though the itinerary of Clinton’s visit has been kept under wraps, officials say the US secretary of state is expected to arrive in the city on Sunday afternoon and will meet Banerjee on Monday morning at the Writers’ Building before she leaves for Delhi at noon. There are reports that she is likely to go for sightseeing on Sunday, including a visit to the historic Victoria Memorial. She is expected to stay in one of the the presidential suites at the Taj Bengal here.