The annual seven-day historical and cultural Nalwadi Mela will begin at the Luhnu ground from March 17. Mela Management Committee Chairman-cum-Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bilaspur Ritesh Chauhan said it in the meeting of district officers for the arrangements of the fair.

Chauhan said four cultural nights with preference to local artistes, two days of mela ground cultural performances of local Mahila Mandals, Yuvak Mandals and other youth clubs and local artistes and four-day wrestling bouts, development exhibitions of government departments and others, three-day cattle fair and several sports competitions would be the highlights of the fair which attracts a large number of people daily from far and near.

He said all conveners of sub committees on various subjects should come out with concrete suggestions regarding their proposals of programmes and required expenditures so that everything was arranged in time. He said Additional District Magistrate Darshan Kalia would be the convener of the Cultural Programmes Sub Committee, Superintendent of Police Santosh Patial Convener of Wrestling Bouts and Sports Sub Committee and Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry of the Cattle Fair Sub Committee.

The DC said all the cattle for the fair would be given travel expenses to come and return from the fair while fodder would also be provided free by the committee. He asked the Nagar Parishad to ensure total sanitation before, during and after the fair at the Luhnu ground, dust bins at proper places and cleanliness daily and also construction of temporary lavatories at suitable distant places around the fair ground, fully equipped with water supply. He urged the departments to ensure that the arrangements were made well in time. He said police and Home Guards would be made available for 24-hour mela duty to ensure full safety and security and traffic control duties.

Source