New Delhi, September 09, 2010:: How much Manipur government has neglected the only Manipuri Emporium in the national capital, New Delhi will become clear before the world during the Food Festival cum Handloom and Handicraft of the Northeastern States which will be held to coincide with the New Delhi Common Wealth Games-2010. Even though Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and other States of the region have completed rejuvenation works of their respective emporiums and are ready for full exposition of their indigenous products and goods, Panthoibi Manipuri Emporium is still awaiting completion of rejuvenation work.

The rejuvenation works could not be completed due to refusal by three stalls dealing in non-local products.

Even though, Manipur government asked them to vacate the stalls, proprietors of the three stalls are still refusing to do so till date, official source said here Thursday.

The stalls refusing to vacate include Raw Silk Emporia, Lotus Art and Suman Enterprises.

Raw Silk Emporia is selling Rajasthani clothes and silk items.

Lotus Art sells Burmese made dolls and other imports while Suman Enterprises is deals with chuni, women's clothing and other items of not produced in Manipur.

The proprietors of these shops are non Manipuris.

Though the Manipur government asserts work for rejuvenation of Panthoibi Emporium has begun the work has been hindered by their refusal to vacate the place, the source said.

The order to vacate them from the place was issued by the state commerce and industries department on July 6 of this year, but they are yet to move away from the place.

This lack of attention and due care to the Panthoibi Manipur Emporium at Delhi by the state government will become stark in the forthcoming Food cum Handloom and Handicraf Festival of the North Eastern states which will coincide with the New Delhi Common Wealth Games 2010, where thousands of sportspersons and officials of various countries will converge.

The festival cum exhibition event is scheduled to be slated to begin from October 1 to 16 at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi.

Assam Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh having completed rejuvenatin works of their emporiums are taking full advantage of the event to expose their products.

products � by the government will be exposed in the forthcoming Food Festival cum Handloom and Handicraft of the Northeastern States which coincide with the New Delhi Common Wealth Game 2010, where thousands of sportspersons and officials of different countries will be converged.

The festival cum exhibition event is scheduled to be slated from October 1 to 16 at the Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi where emporia of the States of Northeastern region like Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam along with Manipur Emporium are situated.

A source here said preparation and rejuvenation works of other States which would take part in the festival cum exhibition were nearly completion.

Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh have started storing their handloom and handicraft products and other indigenous items to taking full advantage of the even in the exposition of their products.

While all had set for the other states of the region, a rejuvenated Manipuri Emporium is yet to put in place till date even though many demanded the emporium in Delhi should be integrated to the process of small scale handloom and handicraft industries back home which also need a good market outlet.

There are many ways to sell and promote the rich and variegated traditional handloom and handicraft of Manipur outside the State.

One not so profitable or enriching way is how the Manipur Emporium Panthoibi at C-7, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi has flopped at showcasing the cultural products from Manipur.

Any visitor to this site would immediately notice that the emporium is losing the Manipuri character in all sense.

One does not have to compare it with other State emporia in the vicinity, twenty one in all from almost all States in India, Manipuris in New Delhi lamented.

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