IMPHAL, April 5: A day after Commerce and Industries minister Govindas Konthoujam inaugurated the 1st Manipur Industrial Expo 2016 at Lamboi Khongnangkhong, participants have lambasted the expo citing several shortcomings on the part of the organisers.
The expo which is being claimed to be the first in the State and biggest in the region, is hosted by the State department of Commerce and Industries and being sponsored jointly by DoNER, Ministry of Textile, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Food processing, Ministry of Commerce & Industries and IOC.
According to the participants, the arrangement is pathetic and the construction of the venue is not even complete.
Speaking to a team of media persons, the participants said they had paied Rs 1000 for each stall and were hoping to earn some money by showcasing their products.
However, we are disheartened by the manner the organisers are conducting the expo, they claimed.
The media team who went to cover the expo could also witness that the floor of the stalls were waterlogged due to the rain. There were also no furniture in many of the stalls.
One of the stall owners said that the expo could have been organised after the proper construction of the venue. She further complained of low sales in the first two days which is against their expectations.
Another owner said she has to spend Rs 300 as taxi fare for her return home above the Rs 1000 she had to pay for the stall.
She said she had expected to earn some profit.
She said she had wanted to promote her handicraft products and earn some profit but it has turned out to be the other way round.
Due to the water logging and absence of any furniture we are unable to even display our products, she lamented.
A group of 50 participants were found gathered together at a spot and discussing their situation.
One of them Pukhrambam Nandini Devi voiced that if the organisers are unable to even provide the basic facilities they want to withdraw themselves from the expo.
Water has seeped into the stalls and the organisers are unable to look into their discomfort, she said.
She continued the ground level is also not properly levelled.
Nandini said this morning they were surprised to see a fish swimming in one of the water-logged stalls.
Meanwhile, the Textile day of the 1st Manipur Industrial Expo, 2016 was held today with the Commerce & Industries/Seri/Vety minister Govindas Konthoujam present as the Chief Guest.
The programme which was scheduled to start from 10:30am was unable to start even till 2pm.