Opening of millennium trekking route deferred

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POKHARA, Dec 25 - The opening of the 80-kilometres long millennium trekking route from Dhorfirdi in Tanahun to Budhakot in Syangja is to be delayed by almost one year due to a lack of infrastructure development, primarily as a result of government indifference.

"The millennium trekking route that was to be opened next week will not be opened this year," Padam Bahadur KC, chief at the tourism office in Pokhara, informed The Kathmandu Post. "The route is likely to be opened only around September-October next year."

Local are vexed over the indifference shown by the government in opening the route that would have served as one of the attractions to Destination Nepal 2002. The Dhorfirdi Majkot Tourism Development and Management Committee had demanded over Rs 4.1 million from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation three months back for developing the necessary infrastructure.

"The government did not support us in our endeavor to open the trekking route. The opening of the route would have served in the larger interest of the nation by being one of the attractions in Destination Nepal year 2002," said Tek Bahadur Gurung, vice chairman of the committee.

The committee had asked for the government’s assistance to construct the necessary infrastructure along the trekking route. The committee had envisaged to spent the money on constructing a hanging bridge and a park, among others.

The local population has done the necessary homework to promote the trekking route. According to Gurung, almost 40 per cent of the necessary infrastructure is already ready, done with active participation of the local population.

The villagers had initiated the necessary works after a feasibility study was initiated led by the tourism office in Pokhara. The locals are actively engaged in the construction of toilets in the villages and renovation of their houses to accommodate the tourists.

The opening of the route, which will take around 6 days to complete, is expected to benefit, directly or indirectly, over a hundred thousand people along the trekking route. KC also informed that one-day, two-day and three-day trekking packages will also be developed to suit the trekkers.

The proposed trekking route passes through nine village development committees in the Tanahun and Syangja districts. Many of the villages along the route are to be developed as Model Tourism Villages, as well.

The millennium trekking route once opened would be the first route based on the concept of village-tourism. No tourist-standard restaurants or hotels would be allowed to operate, and all tourists would share rooms with villagers as a part of the family and eat the best food that the family has to offer.

However, the lodging of tourists would be decided by a committee constituted in each of the villages on a rotation basis so that each household prospers. The charges for fooding and lodging per person each day would range from US $ 28 to 46.

Minister urges to safeguard consumer interest

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KATHMANDU, Dec 25 – Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Purna Bahadur Khadka has said that since the Consumer Protection Act has been implemented, all the industrialists and traders should carefully follow the provision of the Act to safeguard the consumer interest.

Addressing sixth meeting of the Consumer Protection Council, Minister Khadka, who is also the chairman of the council, urged the businessmen to fully cooperate in the effective implementation of the Act by clearly displaying the label of production including retail price, among others.

The same meeting also decided to form a sub-committee under the coordination of Director General of the Department of Commerce to make necessary supervisions for the effective implementation of the Act. The newly formed seven-member committee would be represented by the members of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), Overseas Trade Association, Consumer Forum Nepal and Nepal Retailers Association.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhanu P Acharya, Secretary at the ministry stressed that all the industrialists and traders should pay extra attention in protecting consumer rights. He also underlined the need to become active in the positive outcomes of the Act.

Govt to call tenders for HID privatisation today

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KATHMANDU, Dec 25 – As per the cabinet decision taken some two months ago, Privatization Cell of the Ministry of Finance is to call tenders for the privatisation of Hetauda Textile Industry (HTI), one of the financially insolvent and long-closed public enterprises, on Wednesday.

Sources at the Ministry of Finance informed The Kathmandu Post that the Privatisation Cell of the Ministry would publish the tender notice today. "Although we had finished all the necessary procedures some two months ago, the call was delayed due to some technical reasons," said a source.

He also said that the 45-day tender-call notice will be published in all the major dailies asking the bidders to submit both the technical and financial bids at the same time. As per the bidding procedure, the bidding parties first have to qualify in the technical bidding to be able to fight for the financial bidding.

According to the source, the tender would be called only to purchase the machines and spare parts of the factory. "Since the land of the factory inside the Hetauda Industrial District (HID) is itself in the long-term lease from HID, it would be excluded in the bidding," said the source. The bidding will also exclude 20 bighas of land that the factory owns outside the HID.

The government had released Rs 250 million to clear all salaries and wages of the 1100 workers some months ago and had laid off all employees before privatising the largest textile industry, which was closed down last February.

Established 25 years ago with over Rs 200 million investment, and with technical and financial assistance of the Chinese government, the textile industry was one of the most successful state-owned ventures just a decade ago.

However, the factory started facing financial difficulties mainly due to the growing differences between the government and trade union.

Currently, the net worth of the factory is over two-fold greater than its total liabilities. The factory’s net liabilities are around Rs 500 million out of which government’s total investment is above Rs 340 million.

Decision to privatise one of the oldest textile factories of the country had come as a renewed effort of the government to move ahead with its privatisation policy, which was slacked in the recent years.

RPM Trading opens Car Mart

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KATHMANDU, Dec 25 – RPM Trading Pvt Limited today formally opened its showroom, Car Mart, at Thapathali.

The Trading deals chiefly in Korean company Kia Motors’ cars, jeeps, vans and buses that are fully air-conditioned.

According to Milan Shrestha, director of the company, various models of elegant cars, jeeps are available in the Mart at competitive prices.

"With most elegant models, competitive prices and genuine spare parts, our sales will go up in a very short period," he said.

Available in both diesel and petrol engines, the prices of Kia cars and jeeps range from Rs 1,555,000 to Rs 2,900,000, depending upon their model.

Apart from selling Kia Motors’ products, RPM trading also deals in Chinese FAW company’s vehicles like mini trucks and pick-ups. Their prices range from Rs 550,000 to Rs 1,400,000.

Shrestha says that they provide 20,000 kilometers guarantee on those vehicles and the company is opening up a well-equipped service centre in Kathmandu in the near future.

The company also provides vehicle exchange and up to 80 per cent financing facilities at 12.5 per cent interest rates, according to Director Shrestha. The trading company has already sold 500 vehicles including jeeps, cars, vans and buses.