Dust plays spoilsport at Sangai Festival
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 25 2011: Presence of dust particles everywhere has taken away the pleasure of visiting the Manipur Sangai Festival, 2011 being organized by the Manipur Tourism Department at Hafta Kangjeibung since November 21, many visitors have complained.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, the visitors expressed apprehension that inhaling the all ubiquitous dust particles may affect their health.

The northern side of the festival ground where 302 ordinary stalls have been set up is the worst affected.

There, all the people manning the stalls as well as the visitors are seen wearing masks.

S Angam, who is opening an ordinary stall to sell the famed black pottery items of Nungbi village under UKhrul district, informed that the dust kicked up from the ground by the passersby is relatively lesser in the morning when there are not many visitors.

But as the day advances, the entire festival ground is enveloped by a thick cloud of dust particles making it difficult to breath.

It also made the pottery items being displayed look dirty.

Apart from sprinkling water only once in the morning, the organizer of the festival have not taken up any measures to solve the problem, Angam lamented, adding that the problem of dust has also affected the sale proceed.

Women members manning the stall of H Benurgee Handloom, Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal pointed out that the garment items for women being sold in their stall need to be displayed prominently to attract customers.

But the dust has played spoil sport.

Similarly, Daina Leivon, the owner of DI's Boutinque which is selling woollen garments and accessories for women, informed that she has been keeping all the expensive garments wrapped in plastic sheets to prevent them from getting spoiled by dust.

As business could not be carried out properly because of the dust, Daina said she wants to shut down her stall and leave.

"It is just for the sake of Rs 5,000 that I have deposited for the stall, I am keeping it open", she added.

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