Kolkata Municipal Corporation ok with Maidan Book Fair
By sachiv1, Section Events
Posted on Thu Jan 18, 2007 at 05:30:52 AM EST
A year after having a stand-off with the organisers of the city's leading book fair at the Brigade Parade Ground, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has said that it has no grudges against the organisers who have agreed to cough up the amusement tax to the municipal body.
The amusement department had got into a heated argument with the organisers of the "Kolkata Book Fair", over payment of the amusement tax to the municipal body. The organisers had earlier said that the event is cultural and that they were previously never charged for the event, when the municipal body had asked them for the revenue.
The corporation had said that it offers the civic amenities to the fair ground cleanliness, garbage collection and water supply so charges have to be paid for th services rendered. Also the book fair is a venue for large transactions, so the event cannot be considered a non-profit event totally.
Faiyaz Ahmed Khan, member of the Mayor-in-Council, in-charge of the department concerned, has said that the municipal body will not put another hurdle in the way of the book fair by asking for the dues. "The guild, that organises the fair, has agreed to pay the taxes. Further, the organisers have also said that they will clear all their dues. We won't discourage them. The municipal services will be extended to them, as required," said Khan.
Sources in the municipal administration, however, said that as the book fair has just been out of a controversy the municipal body is not interested in further bashing by book lovers and so is making way for the strong book sellers' lobby.
(Source-Indian Express,18/01/07)
