Kolkata Book Fair 2017 - a victim of demonetisation

Kolkata Book Fair 2017 has hit Bengal's publishing industry very hard - many publishers have cut down on new releases before the prestigious Book Fair which is organized by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild. The fair would be inaugurated by Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on January 25 - the focal theme country would be Costa Rica.
The general secretary of the fair has indicated that regional players have been forced to cut down on new releases by half because of the growing uncertainty on whether books would sell at the fair given the demonetization.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 14 December 2016.

Last year, the fair had seen sales of nearly Rs 25 crore and, this time, the biggest challenge would be to ensure we reach that mark. Of course, English titles have not been hit that hard because it has a higher business volume and a pan-India market.
New releases usually start appearing on the stands by December-end to get maximum mileage at the fair but, this year, that process has taken a beating because laborers who are engaged in binding new printed books have demanded that they be paid only in cash. Nearly 5,000-odd new titles are released every year, targeting book lovers who attend the fair.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org
Use of wild animals banned in 21 circuses in Kolkata

Giraffes may soon vanish from the face of the Earth

Book comes back to the library after 130-years


Moody fires cannons to eliminate mosquitoes (satire)

Fuchka Festival in Kolkata and selfies (satire)

Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga discuss swipe machines (satire)


Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh sees more footfalls of Indians rather than foreigners

Legendary Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas celebrates his 100th birthday

Spider-Man: Homecoming - first trailer released


Two schoolgirls turn suicide bombers and kill 56 in a Nigerian market

All is not well in Europe - 1750 ISIS jihadists have returned to carry out attacks

Anonymous caller threatens terror attack in Los Angeles near a Hollywood theme park