Prime Minister invited to open festival, response awaited
IMPHAL, October 30: The State government is waiting for an official response from the Prime Minister to open the Manipur Sangai festival, 2014, highly placed sources claimed the Chief Minister to have said at a meeting deliberating on the arrangement of the festival.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had, this evening, convened an official meeting which was attended by his council of ministers, and other concern officials to discuss the progress of the arrangement.
Sources informed that the meeting started at 4pm and concluded at 6:45 pm. The meeting was also attended by PHED minister I Hemochandra Singh, Works minister Dr Kh Ratankumar Singh, Commerce and Industries minister Govindas Konthoujam, parliamentary secretary YAS & Tourism M Prithviraj, chief secretary PC Lawmkunga and commissioners, secretaries and directors of various departments.
The Chief Minister had told the meeting that on October 17 his government had sent an official invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open the festival, and an official reply from the Prime Minister’s Office is awaited, sources said.
The meeting had also minutely discussed the various challenges and solutions to create a conducive atmosphere during the 10-days long extravaganza, sources said.
To minimize frustration of the visitors and unnecessary congestion at the venue, due to frisking and checking of visitors by security personnel, it was decided that visitors will now go through metal detectors put up at the entry points.
Five gates each will be open on the eastern sides and southern sides of the festival venue at Hapta Kangjeibung, sources said.
It is also learnt that entry of armed security personnel inside the main venue will be barred and instead security personnel with small side arms will be deployed that too only when necessary.
It was also decided during the meeting to set up separate routes for VIPs and visitors and to allot 60 stalls for the Manipur Tourism Forum to exclusively put up exhibits of national, international awardee artists/ artisans, sources said. World War-II Museum displaying war artefacts, photography exhibitions will also be opened during the festival.
Meanwhile, the during the meeting, the Chief Minister also led a serious discussion on a proposal from the Manipur Pony Association to provide promotional platform for the indigenous Manipur ponies so as to save them from extinction.
As per records, the total population of ponies in the State stood at 1800 in 2003, 700 in 2003 and a minimal 380 this current year.