Choosing a Mela Site in the Monsoon
The Department of Tourism, Punjab, has ₹40 lakh and wants a three-day 'Punjab Heritage and Folk Arts Mela' in the last week of July. Four sites are proposed: (i) Rupnagar, near the Sutlej and the Harappan site, with open grounds; (ii) Anandpur Sahib, associated with Guru Tegh Bahadur and Hola Mohalla, in the Shivalik foothills; (iii) Bathinda, with Qila Mubarak and a large cantonment, in the dry southwest; (iv) Kapurthala, with Jagatjit Palace and the Moorish Mosque, in the Doaba plains. The theme is 'Punjab's martial traditions, folk arts and crafts'. The department expects 20,000 visitors, including school groups. The district administration must consider monsoon flooding, heritage conservation, road and rail access, and religious sensitivities. A sponsor has offered a 'beer garden' at the mela. The Deputy Commissioner asks for a reasoned recommendation, not a list of attractions.
1. Evaluate the four sites against the theme, weather risk and logistics. Which site would you recommend, and why?
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Rupnagar has Harappan heritage and a Sutlej setting, but the theme is not primarily martial; its open grounds are flood-prone in late July, and archaeological clearance would restrict construction. Anandpur Sahib has the strongest thematic fit: Guru Tegh Bahadur founded the town, and Hola Mohalla is the iconic martial festival. But it is a religious town; heavy monsoon in the Shivalik foothills creates landslide and access risk, and a beer garden would be out of the question. Bathinda has Qila Mubarak and the cantonment, giving a fort and military theme; it lies in the drier southwest, has rail and road access, and is central for Malwa school groups. Its risk is heat and humidity, which can be managed with indoor tents and evening timing. Kapurthala has strong architectural heritage at Jagatjit Palace and the Moorish Mosque, but the martial link is weaker and heritage interiors need conservation. Recommendation: Bathinda, with Anandpur Sahib as the culturally stronger but operationally riskier alternative if indoor venues and religious sensitivities can be managed. The trade-offs should be minuted.
2. How should the officer respond to the sponsor's 'beer garden' proposal at the shortlisted sites?
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A sponsor cannot simply set up a beer garden. Sale of liquor is a licensed activity; a mela ground is not automatically licensed. At Anandpur Sahib, alcohol sale at a religious site would be inappropriate and should be refused. At Bathinda or Kapurthala, if the department still wants it, the sponsor must hold the appropriate excise licence or permit; the site must be outside religious premises; sale must be in a segregated enclosure with age verification (21+); there must be no sale to minors; excise duty and VAT must be paid; police no-objection and fire and health clearances are needed; and public drinking should be avoided. Given 20,000 visitors including school groups, the safer recommendation is no alcohol or a small licensed area away from family zones. As Excise Inspector, record the advice in writing so the department is not later accused of facilitating unlicensed sale.
3. What would you do to protect the heritage site and manage 20,000 visitors within the budget?
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Protect the site by obtaining ASI or state archaeology permission; no drilling, digging or construction; use reversible platforms; barricade fragile areas; and limit footfall in heritage interiors. Manage visitors with timed entry for school groups, shuttle buses from peripheral parking, separate entry and exit, CCTV, medical and fire posts, drinking water, waste segregation, and a monsoon contingency plan with covered halls, drainage and a cancellation protocol. Coordinate with police, the municipal body, health and transport. Keep within ₹40 lakh by using existing infrastructure and sponsorships that do not compromise heritage or excise rules. The Excise Inspector's specific concern is that no unlicensed liquor sale takes place at or near the heritage precinct.