Hyderabad: Numaish deferred due to Covid

Hyderabad : Health Minister and All India Industrial Exhibition Society president Eatala Rajender announced that the Numaish-2021 has been deferred in view of health concerns and adhering to guidelines from Union government.

In view of the coronavirus pandemic, for the first time in 72 years the eExhibition will not be starting on January 1. The 81st All India Industrial Exhibition (Numaish-2021) shall look for an appropriate time window to conduct the Numaish at a later date. Exhibition society has decided to start it at the earliest date after January 31.

The Health Minister pointed to the growing concerns over the threat of Covid-19 pandemic getting aggravated due to onset of winter and the upcoming festive season. "Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Government of India vide order has directed that 'Guidelines for Surveillance, Containment and Caution' issued on September 30, 2020, shall remain in force till January 31, 2021.

Following the Ministry guidelines, the exhibition society has decided that the commencement of Numaish-2021 will be deferred till January 31, and the date of the opening will be decided after January," he added.

"Numaish every year receives, on an average, 45,000 visitors per day and a total of over 20 lakh visitors over 46 days of exhibition. With such large crowds, the guidelines' cannot be humanly followed or enforced. Consequently, society fears that the visitors, stall keepers and organizers will be exposed to unmanageable risk of the pandemic. This will be in direct conflict with the letter and spirit of the aforementioned guidelines, he said.

Society Secretary B Praba Shanker reassured patrons, exhibitors and stall keepers that the society would organise the exhibition as soon as the situation eases.