Bridge over Jhimruk river constructed

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dang, Aug. 29: The construction works of the bridge over Jhimruk river on the road to Khalanga, the headquarters of Pyuthan district, has been completed, according to Road Division Office No. 2 in Ghorahi, Dang.

The construction of the bridge was started about two year ago. The completion of the construction works of the bridge now makes it possible to link Khalanga to Bijubar, the main commercial hub of the district.

Constructed at a cost of Rs. 50 million, the bridge has six pillars.

This is an important for a district where the development of roads has lagged behind. The demand for the bridge had been made from a long time but only in the fiscal year 1998/99 budgetary allocations were made for its construction.

Mukti Prasad Sharma, Nepali Congress district president and former MP, said that with the construction of the bridge besides the people of Khalanga, people of Maranthana, Tarebang, Tushara, Okharkot and Nati stand to benefit. He also elaborated that people of Arghakhanchi and Gulmi will also be facilitated.

Resume Cable car services, Turgan urges

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 29: The Nepal Association of Travel Agents (NATA) has expressed its deep concern at the unpleasant situation created by some miscreants which has led to the operation of the cable car services to Manakamana Temple in Gorkha district.

The cable car services operated by Manakamana Darshan Pvt. Ltd. has been contributing for the promotion of religious tourism in the area and thereby generating revenue for the country. It appealed to the government to take immediate measures so that the services for the convenience of not only the devotees but also the local people can be resumed as soon as possible.

Similarly, the Tourist Guide Association of Nepal (TURGAN) has also said that it is greatly shocked to learn of the closure of the popular cable car services due to the misbehaviour of the chairman of Manakamana Village Development Committee and some other people. It has requested the local authorities to create a conducive atmosphere so that the entrepreneur may feel secure about their investments.

Ready-made clothes hit tailoring business in Dang

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug-29: Availability of ready-made clothes and frequent change of fashion have put the traditional occupation of tailors in jeopardy. Tailoring is dying business in Dang and other outlying areas.

Tailors in Dang district are bearing the brunt of modern lifestyle. More people now go for ready-made clothes than seek the service of tailors. There are about 12,000 people in Dang whose sole occupation is sewing clothes.

"People have virtually stopped coming to us or calling us to their homes to sew clothes," Lil Bahadur Damai and Ramesh Nepali of Dang district have the same complaints.

Earlier, when ready-made clothes were unavailable in the market, people were forced to go there. Nowadays, even in busy seasons like Dashain and Tihar, the traditional tailors find no work.

"The wage we get in the form of grains and money for whatever little work we get are not enough for sustaining life, let alone two square meal a day," says Lil Bahadur Damai.

"Now, with more and more people going for ready-made clothes, we are totally ignored by the society," says another Parsaram Nepali.

Modern fashion and change of styles is another brunt they have to bear. "We make daura, suruwal, bhotos and blouses, which very few people wear nowadays," says Parsaram.

Some of them are trying to adopt to modern fashion, still people go for ready-made garments because they look better, stylish, promptly available and also cheaper.

Interaction program organized

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 29: Ministry of Industry, Cmmerce and Supply plans to promote industries, which make handicraft made of bamboo and similar items for the promotion export of such products and for producing skilled manpower.

In this regard, separate interaction programmes, led by kalyan Krishna Tamrakar, president of Handicraft Association of Nepal (HAN) were organized in hetauda and Pokhara.

The interaction programmes were participated by entrepreneurs and officials of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the respective palaces.

In Makwanpur, Tamrakar said the Handicraft Association will pursue in providing training and loans and also help in the promotion of national and international markets.

In Pokhara, pancha Ratna Shakya, vice-chairman of the Handicraft Association of Nepal (HAN) said that there is the need of value addition to handicrafts made of gold and silver.