Nepal's 1st skittling alley at Godavari Resort

By A Staff Reporter

Nepal’s first skittling alley, Amarabati Alley, constructed within the premises of Central Godavari Resort at Taukhel, was inaugurated last Saturday amid a function.

The deluxe resort, situated 14 kilomerters from the city centre and the international airport, also marked the grand opening of other sports facilities on the same day. 

Skittling was the game played by the farmers in the alpine regions of Europe on festive occasion. It is the proper predecessor of the now-a-days worldwide famous game: Bowling.

With the inauguration of the Alley, the Resort management has also announced formation of the All Nepal Skittle Club, the members of which are privileged for reservation to play at the Alley.

“The game of bowling regained popularity in the last decade. Clubs have been established everywhere with this facility. But, this is the first one of its kind in Nepal,” said Karl Muller, Resident Manager at the Resort. There are couple of bowling centers in Kathmandu including one at Chabahil, but they are all electronic bowling ones, it is learnt.

“We have tried to establish the alley in a traditional manner,” he said and added, “the alley, the skittles and the balls are all standardized in size and weight.” The Amarabati Alley is fully adapted to the regulations of the traditional game. The track is built with the original Godavari marble, the seven-pound skittle fabricated on site of sal-wood. The 10 Kg heavy balls have been organized by Swiss Skittling Friends, the Resort officials informed.

Other sports facilities opened at the Resort are its redesigned swimming pool, newly constructed Kiddi’s pool, clay tennis courts and a children park. Its recreational facilities includes Sauna, Massage, Jacuzzi, Billiard Room and a Fitness Centre.

“We are trying to cater more Nepalese customers than foreigners. All the new offerings are targeted at attracting them,” Ashish Budhathoki, Front Office Manager, said.

Everest De Cargo bags award

By A Staff Reporter

Nepal Chamber of Commerce on the occasion of its 47th Annual General Meeting recognised Everest De Cargo (P) Ltd as the country’s No. 1 cargo agent for its contribution to export trade.

Everest De Cargo (P) Ltd., was chosen as No 1. Cargo agent among five best cargo companies. Everest De Cargo (P) Ltd., has been now recognised continuously for three years as No. 1 cargo agent. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala gave away the award to Rabindra Man Singh, Managing Director of the company during the Chamber’s AGM opening ceremony April 9. Singh is also the President of Nepal Freight Forwarders Association.

Resolving deadlock with Indian Airlines

By Ram Prasad Manandhar

The Indian Airlines (IA) drama, though ended on December 31st, 1999, is still showing its impact on Nepal-India relations. Even after the lapse of over three months, the IA service is not yet resumed between the two countries. It is very sad that the recently concluded five-day high-level talk between the authorities of the two countries could not resolve this impasse.

As per the news report, the Nepalese hotel industries suffered loss of nearly one billion rupees ever since the IA flights have been postponed. Over 50 per cent of the occupancy rates of the hotels have reduced, as they have not been receiving the Indian tourists as before. As a result, this has badly shattered the tourism and other subsidiary industries in Nepal.

If we take into account the income derived by the shopkeepers, taxi drivers, travel agencies and other subsidiary industries from the Indian tourists, the loss due to the lack of operation of IA flights is hard to calculate. India, being a vast economy, might compensate the loss created by the suspension of IA flights. But Nepal being a small country cannot bear the jerks too long.

The IA flights would be resumed only if each side understands the sensitivities of the other. It is not without reason why the IA flights had to be suspended. The Indian side does have a feeling that the lack of adequate security arrangement at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) is the main reason for the hijacking of the IA. The task force created for the investigation of the hijacking drama has not negated the Indian findings. Even the former Prime Minister of Nepal Krishna Prasad Bhattarai echoed the Indian concern and accepted the lack of adequate security at the TIA as main reason for the hijacking of the plane.

Despite the repeated attempt made by certain Nepalese authorities to prove that the TIA is equipped with all the facilities as expected at the international airports, the Indian side is not yet convinced. What is gathered from the recent five-day official talk between the Nepalese and Indian authorities is that the IA asked for some additional measures from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to ensure safe air service between Nepal and India. Such additional measures include two main provisions — (a) the installation and operation of X-ray machine by the IA and (b) the ladder-point checking of the passengers. If the Nepalese authorities agree to these demands, the IA would resume its service in no time.

Unfortunately, some of the Nepalese media twisted the truth and tried to misinform the Nepalese mass as against the norms and ethics of the fourth state. It was reported that the Indian side wanted to impose its own security arrangement at the TIA. Some media reported that India wanted to deploy its commandos at TIA. The others reported that the IA asked Nepal government for the termination of PIA flights to Kathmandu. They are merely malicious propaganda intended to create anomaly in Nepal-India relations.

India has made it amply clear that the Indian side never put forward any such proposal to the Nepalese side at the last round of talk or even earlier. In order to remove the misconceptions created by certain sections of the Nepalese press, the Indian ambassador K.V. Rajan said, “It is nonsense to suggest that India wants to bring Nepal under its security umbrella or take over the security to the TIA. We are confident that Nepal will take such steps as are necessary to ensure that hospitality of its soil is not abused by forces which are hostile to India-Nepal relations and indeed to Nepal itself.” Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh also added that India recognises Nepal as a sovereign and independent nation and, therefore, there is no reason why Nepal could not make arrangements for its security.

As a friendly country to India, Nepal cannot ignore the Indian sensitivities for the need to upgrade security measures at TIA. In fact, providing additional security measures is not altogether untenable to the ICAO norms and guidelines and Air Service Agreement between Nepal and India. Neither does it undermine Nepal’s territorial integrity, nor its national sovereignty. India is not the only country in the world that has asked for such facilities from Nepal. A number of foreign airlines have been provided additional security measures. India has expressed its desire to provide Nepal similar security measures at the Indian airports, if Nepal intends to do that.

Many of the foreign airlines, including United Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Gulf Air, Delta Airlines and EI AI Airlines have been allowed by India to install and operate their own X-ray machines at different airports. Similarly, the foreign airlines that have been allowed by India to conduct ladder-point checking of the passengers at the airports, include Sri Lankan Airlines, EI AI Airlines, Bangladesh Biman, British Airways, Syrian Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, PIA, Kuwait Airlines and Royal Jordan Airlines.

If the upgrading of the security environment at TIA could help resume the service of the IA, there should be no delay in accepting the Indian demand for conducting routine tasks at the TIA during the handling of IA flights like the installation and operating of X-ray machine and the introduction of the service of ladder-point checking. Since the additional security measures asked by the IA are in conformity with the regulations of ICAO and they are consistent with the practices and procedures followed at international airports in many countries of the world, there should be no hitch, whatsoever, on the part of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to grant such permissions to the other side. As the nation is incurring the loss of minimum Rs. 10 million each day due the suspension of the service of IA, it needs to be resumed soon. The more is delay in granting such facilities the more is the loss to the nation. r