The previous edition of the Industrial India Trade Fair held in January 2008 drew 800 exhibitors and over 3.5 lakh visitors. A Telegraph picture

The largest industrial fair in eastern India has fallen foul of terror siege and economic slowdown.

The Industrial India Trade Fair (IITF), scheduled to start from December 23, is reeling under last-minute pullouts and mounting infrastructure problems.

The biggest blow to the organiser, the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industries, has been dealt by China, which was to be the partner country for the 22nd edition of the industrial fair.

A 25-member delegation from the Sichuan province was to be the showpiece of the weeklong event that provides a platform for micro, small and medium-scale industries to showcase their products.

The terror attack in Mumbai and the global economic slump have been cited as reasons for the impending Chinese no-show, say sources, though there’s nothing official about the pullout yet.

There is no such ambiguity for India’s most cash-rich public sector undertaking, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), staying away. A regular participant at the fair, ONGC has excused itself on the grounds of “austerity”.

Also citing austerity measures is another financially sound public sector undertaking, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). A regular participant at the fair, it has decided not to put up a stall this winter.

The Jute Manufacture Development Council, a central public sector entity under the Union ministry of textiles, is yet to confirm its participation and the organisers are keeping their fingers crossed.

“The pullouts have forced us to vacate one of the four halls at Milan Mela. At this rate, the industrial fair will witness a drop in exhibitor count from 800 to 700,” said a chamber official.

If the pullouts weren’t bad enough, the problems at the venue are giving the organising team sleepless nights.

“The infrastructure at Milan Mela, opposite Science City, is woefully inadequate for even a small mela, forget the largest industrial fair in this part of the country,” grumbled a chamber official, with less than a week to go for the inauguration.

“Many exhibitors are having second thoughts about putting up stalls,” added another.

The chamber had to compensate some exhibitors after the previous fair, held in January 2008, because of the poor infrastructure, made worse by unseasonal rain. “There is no improvement in the condition of Milan Mela this time,” said a chamber official.

In the absence of a proper power-distribution and fire-fighting systems, the chamber has hired a transformer for Rs 3 lakh and booked fire brigade services for another Rs 3 lakh.

“There is a reservoir without water connection, four halls without air-conditioning, very few toilets, no car park and no food court,” said a chamber official.

When the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation demanded Rs 1.2 crore as rent for the fair, the chamber put its foot down.

“We have communicated to the state government our inability to pay so much. If we pay the amount, the rates offered to small industries will go up. In the present economic scenario, they will not be able to pay higher stall charges,” said Samir Ghosh, the chairman of the industrial fair.