PANAJI: The organisers of 'Lokotsav', the folk festival for promotion and sale of handicrafts, this year has shown gross negligence by allowing around 200 stalls in the pathway neglecting fire and safety guidelines. Due to these the large chunk of people who visited festival on Sunday had to face congestion problem.
The fire department in note has raised objections to these unplanned stalls in the pathway which are causing obstruction. Fire department has stated that these stalls may act as probable danger to people in case of emergency.
“With repeated request the organisers are neglecting to our crucial suggestions,” said fire Department officials.
The Art and culture Department however has said that around 200 extra stall members who were not in the list came from all over India along with their material with organisers leaving no option rather than accommodating them on humanitarian ground in the open space.
“This happened due to misinformation from West Zone who prepares the list of these vendors” Said Gurudas Pilarnkar, Director of Art and Culture.
We are getting huge response from the vendors next year we will plan for more stalls, added Pilarnkar.
As per the approved plan of the festival event 5 meter passage between the two lanes of the stalls is envisaged for safe movement of crowd. There is open space kept between the stalls on certain distance as a breathing space.
But on Sunday there was a scenario where the stalls were erected in connecting passages leaving less space for people to move. Open space envisaged for crowd to get dispersed were also encroached by the vendors.
There may around 200 unplanned stall beside the planned 450 stalls.
It was seen that the extra stalls which were setup were drawing electricity connection from the exist stalls which is increasing load on existing wires.
One incident of wires getting burnt due to overload happened on Sunday evening fortunately the fire personals acting swiftly controlled the fire and major tragedy was averted.
The Lokotsav 2019 (folk festival) which is organised from January 11 will continue till January 20.
