“Tourism Can Be Tool To Fight Poverty”
Bharat Bahadur Dhungana
As the chief coordinator for local development, Local Development Officer of Solukhumbu District BHARAT BAHADUR DHUNGANA has been facing similar kinds of problems like other LDOs. One of the challenges for them is to implement development activities at a time when there is a vacuum of elected representatives at the grass root level. Dhungana spoke to KESHAB POUDEL in Salleri, the district capital of Solukhumbu, recently. Excerpts:
How easy is it to carry out development activities in the present context when local bodies lack elected representatives?
It is very difficult to implement development activities in the grass root level. However, you don’t have other option than to carry them out. Whether there is elected representatives or not, people need a lot of development programs including small irrigation, school buildings, drinking water, health posts and roads.
What are the bases for the selections of the project now?
As a government employee, we have our own limitations. We cannot impose the project from the top. It is the political leadership who knows the demands and needs of the local people. This is the reason I discuss with the leaders of eight political parties about the projects. This is quite an effective way to build political consensus to select the projects as well as implement them.
How cooperative district leaders of eight political parties are? Do they come to support you?
They may have their own political ideology. So far as the project implementation is concerned, all of them have certain consensus. Every political leader is positive on development activities.
What are the priorities of the people?
This is one of the districts in eastern part of Nepal that is not connected with the road. Because of lack of transport, the cost of almost every essential product is three times higher here. Every one wants to see the road connections. People hold the view that the connection of road will reduce the cost of essential products.
When will the road reach Solu then?
If things go smoothly, Solukhmbu will be linked by road within a year. District Development Committee has been spending its resources to link the road between Okhaldhunga and Salleri. We are also proposing to link Solukhumbu district with Ramechhap.
As Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Program (TRPAP) is phasing out soon, does your district has institutions to continue it?
Yes, it is phasing out from coming June. Thanks to the support from TRPAP, we have already built up sustainable Tourism Development Section to carry out the activities. We have manpower and institutional capabilities to continue it.
What about financial resources?
Annually, Solukhumbu district contributes millions of rupees as royalty to Tourism Fund. We are considering demanding the resources from the fund to run the program.
How do you see the TRPAP?
TRPAP is one of the programs directed at poverty. It is unfortunate to say that the program is wrapping up when the normalcy has returned in the country. The program was implemented during very difficult time.
What lessons did you learn from TRPAP?
After more than five years of implementation, TRPAP has shown how tourism can be used as an effective tool to alleviate poverty. Northern parts of Solukhumbu district had already made progress and enjoyed much benefit. TRPAP explored southern part of Solukhumbu as a new product for tourism. Dudhkunda-Pikey Cultural Trail is a new product for this district. This trail will cover 9 to 16 days of trekking.
What is the distinct character of this trekking trail?
One can see diverse culture and nature along the trail. From the culture of Khaling Rai of southern Solukhumbu to Sherpa of Junebesi and higher land, this tail has unique combination of culture and nature. There are a number of monasteries along the trail. One of the famous Monasteries is Thuptenchholing Monastery. One can see sunrise from Pikey mountain (4065 m) and the Himalayan range from Kanchanjunga of east to Dhaulagiri of west.
How local political leaders and local people see TRPAP?
TRPAP is one of the popular programs in the district as it has contributed to transform the livelihood of people. All the programs implemented by TRPAP are bringing direct benefits to them. When this program is so popular among people, no one can dare challenge it. Even during the time of intensification of conflicts, this program had hardly seen any disruption. Political leaders are pressing us to continue TRPAP for another few years.
As you said TRPAP has brought tangible change in the rural life, what is the visible change here?
One of the visible changes is the number of tourists coming to visit the southern part of the district. As you know, Solukhumbu’s northern part including Everest trekking trail used to receive more than 20,000 tourists a year. Despite all ingredients, the visiting number of tourists is lower in southern areas. What TRPAP has done is, it explored the product. Compared to north, the poverty is rampant in southern Solukhumbu and tourism can be a powerful tool to fight the poverty.
How hopeful are you about the increasing number of tourists in the region?
As the country is returning to normalcy, I am very optimistic that the number of tourist will increase in the area. Even in the last four months, we have seen a lot of tourists in the region. Nepal Tourism Board has also assured us that they will sell this product in international tourism mart. To provide basic information to growing number of tourists, Tourist Information Center has already been opened in Junbesi.
|
