Cloud Cleared over Agartala Book Fair at Hapania

A Correspondent

Agartala: Uncertainty over the holding of Agartala Book Fair at a new location in the International Fair ground at Hapania, about four km away from the heart of the city, has been lifted as the Tripura Publishers Guild has said all its members are free to join the mela if they desire so. The two-week long book fair will begin on February 26.

Earlier, the biggest body of the publishers, the Tripura Publishers Guild, had decided to boycott the fair this time protesting against shifting of the venue to a faraway location. They had said the shifting of the book fair out of the city is impractical as there is lack of communication facility and so people will stay away from the event.

The government had earlier assured to provide free bus service from the city to the mela ground but the guild was not satisfied with it. They said even if the bus runs from one or two spots it will not be sufficient and were apprehensive about their business prospect. On January 14, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarma, who is also the Chairman of the Book Fair Steering Committee, held a meeting with the representatives of the Guild and the Tripura Book Sellers Association and made a appeal to them to join the fair. The Executive Committee of the Guild held a meeting on Monday and reviewed the situation. They decided against formal withdrawal of the boycott call but said if any individual member wants to join the fair they are free to do so.

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