Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Lexpo begins in Kolkata

Lexpo begins in Kolkata
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EntertainmentTeam on 30 March, 2008 12:52:00
 
Kolkata: After much debate, discussion and uncertainty regarding its venue
Lexpo, the leather fair in Kolkata was inaugurated at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan
in Salt Lake on Friday. The fair will go on till April 14.
Lexpo is an event that most Kolkatans look forward to every year. However, like
the Calcutta Book Fair, Lexpo too went through a lot of uncertainty regarding
the venue, where it will be held. The initial plan was to hold the fair at
Kolkata Maidan, close to Shaheed Minar, where it is usually held every year.
However, as per the government directive this venue was cancelled and there was
a great uncertainty regarding whether the fair will be held this year.
The crisis was resolved by the intervention of state Transport and Sports
Minister, Subhash Chakraborty, who finalized the venue at Salt Lake. Despite the
last minute change in the venue of fair, there has been no dearth of
participants. Not only participants from the state but also leather
entrepreneurs from other states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and
Jharkhand have taken part in this fair.
However, it cannot be denied that with the establishment of a variety of
branded leather stores in the city the importance of this fair is on the wane.
Nonetheless, the government is taking significant efforts to promote Lexpo as
leather goods form one of the core sectors in the export scenario in the state.