Numaish Fire Aftermath: Traders Seek Solution Amid Chaos, Tears

Traders who packed all their stocks and came to Numaish, with hopes of a ripe profit, are in a state of apathy now. A few are in tears, some in Anger, some in anguish, and some in plain confusion and despair. All this while the All India Industrial Exhibition Society (AIIES), is busy looking for ways to get the Exhibition back on track.

While many traders chose the civilized way of sitting in front of their respective stalls, waiting for the exhibition officials to get to them, some traders took matters into their own hands and went to the AIIES Office, to vent out their anger. A few flower pots were broken by the traders, but no further damage was caused, as cops did not allow them into the office premises.

Traders were found in pockets crying for all the losses they had incurred. Some of them claim that the losses were too much to get back on track, as most of them depended on a rotational inflow of goods and money.

A top official from the Fire dept told a leading English daily that the AIIES was not issued with an NOC from the fire dept for the exhibition. They also claim that nobody from the fire dept was involved when the stalls were put up as well. Apart from that, neither the traders nor the exhibition officials took any interest in an insurance plan for what is supposed to be the biggest exhibition in South India. Now, this completely makes it straight to the books of negligence. What’s funny is that the police has not booked a case under negligence and avoided it by instead putting the case under Accidental Fire.

Some people, who were at the spot when the inferno broke out, offered to help, while some came with a façade of help but took complete advantage of the chaos and looted many shops of a wide variety of goods.

Likely Further Action

· The Exhibition Society announced on Thursday that damages will be assessed and compensations will be paid depending on the damage incurred to the traders.

· Steps have also been taken to rope in an insurance firm to cover the exhibition so that they are more prepared for a disaster in case of one in the future

· Fire safety measures are to be upgraded and four fire engines are to be stationed at Numaish

· Revenue officials and Tahsildars have already started to take stock of the situation and have started to estimate losses.

· Traders to be compensated up to at least 50% of their losses.

· Exhibition to run till 28 February

Also Read: Etela Rajender Pacifies Angry Numaish Traders