Annual Poush Mela in Santiniketan - traders want extension

Traders who will put up stalls at the annual Poush Mela in Santiniketan have requested that the fair be extended by a week. That way they can recover some of their investments at a time when there is a cash crunch because of demonetization.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT)has ruled that the fair cannot be extended beyond the stipulated three days. The Poush Mela starts on December 7 and should end within three days but, it usually continues unofficially till end-December.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 4 December 2016.

The fair is organist jointly by Visva-Bharati and the Santiniketan Trust. History has it that Rabindranath Tagore's father, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, had bequeathed his properties to the Santiniketan Trust. As per documents, the Poush Mela is supposed to be held for three days.
Incidentally the fair was started in 1894 by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore with the idea of promoting local handicrafts. Tourists from all over the country and also from across the world visit Poush Mela to pick up the handicrafts created by local artisans.


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National Green Tribunal directs Visva-Bharati to stop the Poush Mela or shift its venue

The poush mela or the fair in the Bengali month of had been started in 1894 by Rabindranath Tagore's father Maharshi Devendranath - the objective was to promote local artisans. It is held for three days in December on the "mela ground" located on the campus of Vishva-Bharati University.
However, it does not wind up within three days but an extended version of the fair called Bhanga Mela continues for another 10-12 days. This is a gross violation of environmental norms during the fair.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 10 August 2016.

Hence, the National Green Tribunal has directed Visva-Bharati to either stop the Pous Mela or shift its venue from its current venue. The mela had been started with a noble purpose but, gradually, the purpose has disappeared and it has now been commercialised and taken over by unscrupulous elements.
The tribunal has directed Visva-Bharati to file an affidavit stating its decision in this regard and the state government should also inform how it planned to help the varsity. The tribunal's ruling has come based on a petition filed by green activist Subhas Dutta in February who had alleged there was gross violation of environmental norms during the fair.


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