Jewelex forays into exquisite collection of Diamond jewellery for the Indian Market

Celebrity Simi Garewal added a sparkle at Jewelex stall at IIJS...

Post By : Sameera Menezes / Prachi Kulkarni On 21 July 2005 12:00 AM
17th July 2005 - Day 4:$$ It was a day to learn a lesson from, a day that should have never happened, a day that has tarnished the image of India abroad.%%Being a Sunday, business had to be shut down by 2pm, owing to floods in one of the halls at the venue of IIJS, thus calling for immense loss of business on a peak day of the show. Problems arise, problems get solved and tackling problems like this is no new task for the representatives of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council. But the issue to be pondered about is whether this uncalled for incident could have been avoided? Was it due to the un-preparedness of the Council that has done India shame? Well, then they have learnt a lesson and so has the government of India and Maharashtra. It is time they realized that this industry of the gem and jewellery, the second largest forex earner, needs a proper Convention Centre.%%The scene in Hall 5 was one of chaos and confusion as water seeped in from all directions leaving most of the stalls flooded. The Councils move to charge fee from the visitors, from NRIs and foreigners and high stall charges called for the ire of the exhibitors. The flooding gave vent to their agony which they directed on the Council members.%%Exhibitors came close to blows with the security and maintenance personnel and many were reduced to tears over the loss. All said and done, a close analysis of the situation raises the question: Did the situation call for such uncouth behaviour on the part of the exhibitors? Who took the decision to create chaos? The industry cannot run in the hands of a few exhibitors or office-bearers.
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The show must go on Later in the evening Bakul Mehta, Chairman of the GJEPC, and other members of the Council, called the unruly exhibitors who sat in a dharna in Hall 1 asking for explanation and refund of the loss. Unable to manage the many questions of the exhibitors, the Council had a closed door meeting with the exhibitors. Why did this happen? The exhibition campus had a slope towards Hall 5. All water found way through the drainage pipes running below Hall 5. Owing to blockage at some end the water overflowed through the carpets flooding the entire hall.
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Who was responsible for the chaos? The government has not heeded to the repeated requests of the industry to set up a convention centre. Said Prida Tiasuwan, Chairman of Pranda Jewelry Public Company Ltd, a millions of dollars industry like this, should have a proper infrastructure. This situation would have never arisen. Does this behaviour suit the billion dollar industry? A few exhibitors, enraged over the loss, took the situation into their hands and soon the brouhaha that followed was beyond control. The industry which has grown in leaps and bounds in the last 15 years to stand high in the international market has tarnished its image in a single day.
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Who will pay for the losses? The visitors will be refunded, said Bakul Mehta. The decision regarding the losses incurred by the exhibitors will be taken in a couple of days. They will be duly compensated, promised the GJEPC. A meeting to this affect will be held soon.

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