The proposal to make Mananchira Square the main venue of the 55th State school arts festival, to be organised here from January 15 to 21, 2015, met with opposition from some elected representatives. A final decision is likely to be taken only on Tuesday.
“We felt Mananchira was the best possible venue, as it was easily accessible for the public and had successfully hosted the last festival in Kozhikode, in 2010,” Education Minister P.K. Abdu Rabb, who presided over a meeting held here on Monday to form the festival’s organising committee, told The Hindu . “But we are not going to insist on Mananchira, and other venues, such as Swapna Nagari, can also be considered.”
City Mayor A.K. Premajam said the Corporation was not in favour of Mananchira because it had spent more than Rs.65 lakh to renovate it. “With the huge sculpture there, it cannot accommodate that many people any more,” she said.
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“There are also issues of parking space and traffic. We believe Swapna Nagari is the best venue, which can host the huge number of people that we are expecting for the festival. There is enough space for parking, too.”
At the meeting, Social Justice Minister M.K. Muneer, in whose constituency (Kozhikode-South) Mananchira is situated, was made the chairman of the organising committee. Kozhikode North MLA A. Pradeep Kumar, who was made the Programme Committee chairman, said that he only wanted to see the festival become as successful as the 2010 edition. “But the concerns of the Kozhikode Corporation, which did an excellent job in renovating Mananchira are genuine,” he said. “All things have to be considered before the venues are finalised and discussions have to be held before everything is decided.”
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