Kolkata book fair cancelled, symbolic fair held

BOOK BUSTERS: The symbolic Kolkata book fair was inaugurated at the Town Hall after the actual book fair was cancelled.

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Singer Usha Uthup is sad as well but feels there should be a permanent venue to end the impasse.

"There are theatres for movie goers and auditoria for painters, but sadly nothing for book lovers. The book fair is part of our heritage. We need a permanent venue," she said.

Eminent playwright Saonli Mitra is happy with the verdict. "The Guild ignored the complaints of local people. I fully support the verdict," she said.

For educational institutions around Park Circus, the judgement came as a big boon.

"It is a relief. Something so close to our heart is facing a problem every year. I don't know how in the very first place they chose the ground since the holding of the fair would have caused immense problems in the area," said Sanghamitra Mukherjee, principal of Lady Brabourne College, located just across Park Circus ground.

One of the petitioners, Mehboob Alam, hailed the judgement as a victory for the citizens.

The court has directed the Guild that the park should be restored to its original condition with immediate effect at the Guild's cost.

According to the Guild officials, the loss from the verdict would be immense for each publisher. "It can range from Rs 50,000 to Rs 500,000," a Guild official said.

"It is a crippling blow," said Guild secretary Tridib Chatterjee.

In a surprise move, Chief Justice S.S. Nijjar paid a visit to Park Circus after the Republic Day parade January 26 before passing the landmark verdict.

American author Paul Theroux was to inaugurate the book fair, scheduled from January 30 to February 10. The book fair is reputedly the largest non-trade book fair in the world. It is the world's third largest annual collection of books after the Frankfurt Book Fair and the London Book Fair.

The Guild had to shift the most-awaited cultural event of the city to Salt Lake last year after green activists won a legal battle to block the fair at Kolkata Maidan, the vast green acres considered as the city's lungs.