Strong winds damage tents, posters

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 7

Strong winds damaged the outside portion of tents put up for the global investors meet. Despite the prediction of thunderstorm and rain, the weather was clear this morning. However, strong winds started blowing when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was delivering his speech.

However, these did not disrupt the PM’s programme as he completed his speech and left the venue. The posters of the snow-clad Dhauladhar ranges put up to create an ambience were torn. At places, flower pots inside the venue overturned.

Government officials were thanking the local deity Indrunag for successfully holding the event by not causing rain during the crucial hours. 

Chaos prevailed during lunch hour. Due to heavy rush, business delegates could not be guided to the enclosure where lunch was arranged because they got separated from their liaison officers provided by the government. 

Amazon India head Amit Aggarwal, along with other officials of the company, had their lunch at local  restaurant Sagar Ratna.

Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affair Anurag Thakur and Union Minister of State for Tourism Prahlad S Patel were left out during lunch hour. Though DGP SR Mardi later tried to persuade both to come inside the venue, they went to Pavillion Hotel of the HPCA for lunch.

Many top corporate heads left Dharamsala this evening. Brand ambassador of the event Bollywood actor Yami Gautam welcomed Modi and was also present during his address at the venue.