BY KULCHANDRA NEUPANE
Tourism entrepreneurs said they were worried about the future of billion of rupees of investment in the sector due to deteriorating condition of local heritages.
They said the huge amount of money injected into the sector has been put at risk because of road construction leading to Jomsom as an alternative to trekking, squeezing the area of the Fewa Lake and increasing construction works blocking the view of the Himalayas from Pokhara, are threatening the local tourism industry.
“Natural and tourist heritages are continuously being encroached and destroyed. We need to be serious about this increasing threat on tourism,” said Kali Bahadur Adhikari, former member of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), at a function organized to mark the 14th convention of the Regional Hotel Association, Pokhara, on Saturday.
“Pokhara is becoming a concrete city due to rapid construction works that have been blocking the view of Mount Machhapuchhre from Pokhara. Tourism in Pokhara will suffer a huge setback if we fail to stop such activities to preserve local heritages,” Adhikari added.
As per the existing regulations, buildings higher than two storeys are not allowed, to ensure a clear view of Mt Machhapuchhre from all sides of Pokhara. But the rampant violation of the code is also seen as an another challenge. Public platforms and ponds are being destructed in the course of road expansion and due to encroachment.
The Fewa Lake, a popular tourist hang out in Pokhara, is also under increasing threat as water hyacinth is invading a wider area of the lake which has been also facing mounting pollution in the recent years. Pokhara is located in the popular Annapurna trekking region. Tourism entrepreneurs are worried about the threat posed by road constructions along the trekking route. According NTB, 70 percent of the total 112,000 tourists visiting Pokhara in 2007, went trekking in this route.
“Billions of rupees have been invested here and all this is in serious threat. So measures to preserve, identify, develop and promote the natural heritages should be taken urgently,” Shrikant Sharma Khatiwada, a tourism expert, said. An estimated 29 billion rupees has been invested in Pokhara, the second largest tourist destination in Nepal.
Bachchuram Tiwari, president of Hotel Association of Nepal - Pokhara chapter, said a collective effort from all sectors is necessary for an economic revolution and for increasing employment by saving the huge investment from sinking.
President of HAN Prakash Shrestha also stressed on the need to peruse a policy of economic revolution to increase employment opportunities within the country.
The Kathmandu Post 13 July, 2008
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