Blaze at Numaish: Organisers, traders ignore insurance, rue

HYDERABAD: A day after a 79-year tradition was shaken and over 150 stalls reduced to ashes, traders and Numaish organisers were caught on the wrong foot over insurance. None of the stakeholders bothered to think about insurance for the most-popular exhibition in south India. Though stall allotment booklet does dwell a bit on the ‘insurance’ aspect, neither the organisers nor traders took it seriously. Result: Over 150 traders do not know how to recoup their losses.

In the 2019 edition, the Exhibition Society, which organises the All India Industrial Exhibition, granted over 2,500 stalls to traders to showcase and sell their wares and services during the 45-day annual fair. “In the rules and regulations prescribed in the booklet we have clearly mentioned (Rule No 8 of Obligations, Responsibilities & Liabilities of Stall Holders) that it is compulsory for all stall holders to get their products/stalls/pavilions insured against theft, fire and other natural hazards. However, none of them followed the rule,” Society vice-president B Srinivasa Rao told TOI.

“In fact, it is a major lapse on our part too. We never verify whether stalls take any insurance for their products or stalls. The allotment application was designed 30 years ago. After yesterday’s incident, we decided to amend the rules and regulations,” Rao added.

Exhibition extended by three days

While general insurance companies (GICs) offer insurance products that can be useful in such cases, the awareness about them is very low. Generally, the trade fairs that showcase high-value goods go in for such policies, said officials of insurance companies.

Exhibition Society president and former finance minister Eatala Rajender admitted that no insurance provision was made by the Society and stall holders.

“In view of the incident, we will modify rules by adding insurance as a major component during allotment of stalls at the next Numaish,” Rajender told TOI.

Authorities have decided to put a water sprinkling system to cover the sprawling 20-acre Exhibition Grounds.

Meanwhile, the Numaish organisers have declared to extend the mega event by at least three days.

“We will extend the Numaish for another three days. Instead of Feb 15, the curtains will now come down on the Exhibition on February 18,” the Society president told media.