Negligible impact of bandh on general life
Closure draws widespread criticism

By A Staff reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 25: Woman entrepreneur Hajuri Bista of Lalitpur opened her pickle and candy factory despite the terrorists’ call for bandh. "Only that I could not sell much," she said. "Maybe, I’ll have to lay off workers if bandhs continue."

She has bigger worries. "With frequent bandhs, what kind of future can we expect for our children?," she said. "Bandh is the extreme form of aberration in the society."

The call for a five-day closure has affected all — small and big businesses, common people, students and employees — in more ways than one.

Surendra Man Shakya, a goldsmith at Naradevi, also opened his shop. "But there is little work because my customers have to come from villages," he said. "This bandh has deprived me of a few hundred rupees I earned daily."

Everyone is affected by the bandhs, said a higher secondary school teacher from Manamaiju, who did not want to be named. "Five days! It is just too much," he said. "No protest should victimise the general people."

Simple folks have been affected the most. The wife of Harkha Lal Maharjan of Sat Dobato was too shy to give her name, but said she was scared to go to her own field. "I’m told there could be disturbances."

Praveen Shrestha did not open his small shop at Ason. He is angry. "I used to earn a few hundred rupees," he said. "Closure or not, I need to meet my daily expenses."

Geeta Lama of Sindhupalchowk works with the owners of a wool washing factory at Bouddha. "I was not affected directly. But many workers of the factory were," she said.

Menuka Dahal of Teku, whose school was closed, regrets stocking vegetables on the eve of the bandh, some of which are now going bad. "I thought they would not be available."

Bir Malla of Kamalpokhari happily walked to the office on the first day of bandh. "I feel secure unlike in the past bandhs," Malla said."The security arrangements are excellent."

Jeet Bahadur Shrestha, ambulance driver at Srongsten Bhrikuti Samajik Sanstha Bouddha, also thinks it is secure in the city.

"I was afraid to hear that Maoists captured even the ambulances near Mugling. But with security personnel at different points in the capital, it is reassuring."

Some fifty expecting mothers came to the Maternity hospital during the two days of so-called bandh. "They all used the ambulance service," said Amar Amatya of the Hospital. "Patients normally come by taxis and private vehicles."

Banks suffered as well. The New Road branch of the Nabil bank saw only 80 customers coming in during the two days. "The normal flow of customers used to be 250 on the average," said Toran Shah of the bank.

Bharat Kant Sharma, a priest at Bagalamukhi temple in Patan said the number of devotees were less today than last Thursday. "Bandhs are bad," he said.

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