Bandh affects foods stalls' earnings
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 29 2011:
With bandhs going all through Manipur Sangai Festival, the food stalls which normally get high profit have not recorded the expected volume of sale this year with less visitors turning up this time around, and there has been proposals from various angles to extend the festival.
Meanwhile, Tourism Commissioner, KK Chhetry has asserted that the extension of the Manipur Sangai Festival would be impossible due to the security problems engulfing the organizers at the moment.
Addressing media persons at the Sangai Festival today, KK Chhetry said that he is aware of the problems faced by the food stall owners in the festival due to the ongoing bandh in the state and also the desire of the various section of the society to extend the festival.
But instead of extending the Sangai Festival the government has discussed the possibility of coming up with a food festival in the early part of next year, probably in the month of February.
In the festival the food stalls that are here in this Sangai Festival will be engaged.
He went on to say that tight security arrangements have been made for the visit of PM, Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi in Imphal on December 3 .
Consequently, there will not be shortage of security personnel to be engaged in the Sangai Festival in case it is to be extended.
If at all the festival is being extended without proper security arrangement and unwanted incidents take place in the festival, we are only to be blamed.
The government wished peace to prevail during the course of the festival and that the foreign participants go back home with a desire and longing to come back again.
The people and the stall owners in the festival should also co-operate in this regard.