A preparatory meeting for the Gopalpur Beach Festival-2014 was held here on Sunday where the progress made for the event scheduled to be held from December 24 to 28 at Gopalpur-on-sea was reviewed.
State Higher Education Minister and Beach Festival Committee chairman Dr Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi presided over the meeting. It was told that for smooth conduct of the festival, ten different committees have been constituted.
Panigrahi sought the cooperation of all committee members, different service wings of the Government and every stakeholder of the mega event. A detailed report on the income and expenditure incurred so far for the festival was presented.
The meeting discussed at length issues relating to holding cultural programmes, exhibition, tourism related activities, control of law and order, including traffic control and security, establishment of food courts, accommodation, transportation of visitors, supply of energy and water, sanitation and first aid, construction of stalls, gates, stages, publication of souvenir, preparation of a realistic budget estimation, award and felicitation, publicity and promotional activities.
It was informed that a strong crowd of 3-5 lakh visitors is expected to witness the event. A number of national level artists, singers, and celebrities are likely to add glamour to the festival. The meeting also decided to organise exhibitions, textile mela, palleeshree mela, craft mela, fun fair and sand art exhibition to attract the visitors.
Among others, Brahmapur MlA RC Chau Pattnaik, State Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra, DIG (SR) Amitav Thakur, Brahmapur SP Sarthak Sadangi, Ganjam SP Narasingh Bhola, BMC Commissioner Archana Panda, RDC (SR) Bikash Mohapatra, Ganjam Collector Premchand Choudhury and BDA Chairman Subash Moharana attended.