Traders from Pakistan will give ‘Numaish’ a miss in 2014, following the tension at the venue in January this year, organisers of the industrial exhibition said.
Activists of the BJYM had protested the killing of two Indian soldiers on the border, at the previous edition of the annual 45-day All-India Industrial Exhibition in January 2013.
“No one from Pakistan has approached us for setting up stalls this year,” president of the Exhibition Society Aswin Margam said.
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Around 10 Pakistani traders had set up stalls at the exhibition but all of them wound up their business abruptly following the protest. The traders from across the border had in fact turned up after a gap of a few years, but were said to be avoiding a return following the bitter experience last time.
Meanwhile, the Exhibition Society has decided against increasing the entrance fee. Children above five years and adults will have to pay Rs. 20 each. The rates were revised this year to check the entry of anti-socials.
Around 2,200 stalls are expected to come up at the exhibition and traders from different parts of the country will participate.
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“Already, we have allotted stalls and we do not foresee any impact of [State] bifurcation during the event,” Mr. Margam said.
The society has taken steps to provide a safe and secure environment to the traders and visitors, he assured. As part of the security measures, services of local police personnel, security staff and volunteers will be employed. A few hundred CCTV cameras will also be installed at strategic locations.
Exhibition Society member R. Sukesh Reddy said around five 250 KV generators would be deployed to meet the electricity requirements. This apart, APCPDCL authorities have promised uninterrupted power supply, Mr. Reddy said.