Matters of money

By Dikshya Thakuri

One perennial question. Should there be such disparity in the basic pay scale between all sectors? A second. Is everyone equal? Or are some more equal than others?

According to Ram Krishna Nirala, an advocate, "Article 21 of the Constitution states that the Minimum Remuneration Fixation Committee recommends the minimum wages, and under its recommendation, the government follows its basic salary scale, dearness allowance and facilities." He points out that in Europe workers are paid on an hourly basis but people who go from developing nations are hired on a cheaper rate than what is actually stipulated. On the disparity of pay scales, he says, "Graduates or those with a master’s degree are seen working for the posts that need less qualification. Hence it is natural for them to draw a salary according to the post he or she is working in which may be far less than what is normally paid to graduates."

"It is only natural for us to sense exploitation but it’s not quite so. Infact there has to be an agreement between employers and employees if we want to move about in a free market economy. But if we look at it from a socialist point of view then the government has to fix wages ", Nirala mentions in a matter of fact tone.

Article 21 of the Labour Act doesn’t stop the government from fixing minimum wages for professionals but it is seen as if the government has only prioritised the labourers. One argument is that the labourers cannot speak on their rights, thus they become top most priority. In the Labour Act of 2048 (1991), only labourers were focused on more than skilled professionals but in the amended Labour Act of 2054 (1997) the staff ran almost parallel with the labourers.

"Earlier the paychecks in the private sector were much higher than that of the government. Since the government increased it up by 300%, there are marked differences in the pay scale. It would have run almost parallel if there was a balance between demand and supply in the private sector, where, managers are highly paid but the office executives aren’t", says Nirala.

The government’s salary scale on civil servants, released in last year’s budget session which invited applause as well as uproar across the country, hasn’t been implemented in the government’s public enterprises. The reason — the ministries only come under the government directly and the public enterprises like Nepal Rastra Bank, Banijya Bank, Dairy Development Corporation etc have individual rules and that they are autonomous bodies.

Noted industrialist and a newly appointed M.P in the National Assembly, Roop Jyoti talks from a very economic point of view, "Fundamentally, the fixed wages protect the employees at the cost of the unemployed. The minimum wage is necessary although it may not be sufficient for the workers. It’s a matter of whose interest are you more concerned with. No doubt that the industrialists may take undue advantage of labourers".

Jyoti goes on smoothly, "In higher levels, fixing wages is counter-productive. Fixing the prices of commodities like sugar by the government is justifiable but as the commodities get complex, it’s not possible. In a true economy, if the government fixes prices for all the commodities then the resources will be wasted. If the prices are kept artificially low, consumption increases resulting in loss, if the prices are determined artificially high then it will also result in a loss. The market should determine the prices. If there is monopoly in the market, the government must do something about it. If there are efficient transactions in the market then there is no need for the government to interfere with the prices and wages".

When specifically repeating the question of wages, Jyoti remarks that there are different conditions to be met. "If the market is not functioning, it’s the government’s job to supervise. Minimum wage is a minimum wage after all. It’s only applicable to the unskilled labourers but once it moves higher to even semi-skilled, it becomes difficult and complex. In the country’s industries, there are more than 400 workers and one industrialist. If the wages are fixed for white collar jobs, it’ll be a short term benefit and long term loss. Once it’s implemented it’ll be difficult to remove. Minimum wage is reasonably low and it does more harm to society", according to him.

Jyoti says that the government also fixes interest rates. "It’s a matter of price mechanism, wage is also a price. Foreign exchange is also a price. If the interest rate is low, it will shape up as a wasteful investment if too high, it would not be practical for those willing to make investments. It is upto the government to ensure market mechanism, unskilled labour surplus, skilled labour from India or elsewhere. Minimum wage is but a simpler option".

Deep Basnet, Director General of Dept. Labour and Employment Promotion Centre makes a stand from the government’s point of view, vocally making it clear, "We can’t fix minimum wages in the private sector because there are different companies with various levels of profits on the scale of the minimum and maximum. It is a common tendency in our country for organisations to mistake fixed minimum wage to be maximum. To top it all, some, who may have been once willing, even shy away from giving allowances".

Basnet clarifies that the Minimum wage for labourers is fixed to avoid exploitation and to assure that they are not paid less than that. In private sector, they are paid in accordance to their capabilities so it’s not practical to fix minimum wages for professional or white collar jobs. When asked the pay scale announced by the government has not been implemented in public enterprises, he says if there is a formal complaint, we will definitely look into it and try to settle the matter.

Bishnu Rimal, General secretary of General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) explains that it is to be noted that there is infact a provision of minimum wage for skilled labourers. He makes an interesting point that the labourers need not be bound just to blue collar work. "Hence the minimum wage for the skilled labourers could be on an equal footing with the minimum wage for a professional like production oriented engineers and managers. But it all depends on different levels and companies and some argue there has to be a fair minimum wage or other kinds of minimum wages. I do agree that there has to be a minimum wage. It is said that 1 skilled labourer is equal to 100 unskilled. If a consultant is earning 3 lakhs a month then we may argue that he is equal to 100 unskilled labourers. For example, in a tea estate, a guard may consider himself a staff and a tea picker a labourer but it’s just a matter of interpretation. Whereas a manager who has the authority to hire and fire should also be considered a skilled labourer, which Europe is more familiar with", he adds without pausing.

Rimal agrees that the government pay scale should also be applicable to the private sector and the question of discrimination by the government arises because the government gives more importance to its staff than those of the private organisations. There is a great difference between the private and the government sector even in the pay scale of the peons.

It must have been the rain

By SS

Among the 120 members elected to the National Assembly, every two years when one third of them retire, 10 are nominated by the King based on merit and prominent service in various fields. Among the chosen this year, was, the present advisor to TAAN (Trekking Agents Association of Nepal) and once its president, the current vice president of the Women’s Entrepreneurs Association (WEAN) and owner, proprietor and managing director of Snow Leopard Trekking Agency and general all round seriously tireless entrepreneur in the tourism industry, Yankila Sherpa.

Her work in the tourism sector, attending seminars, trainings have taken her across the globe to places as diverse as Turin, Italy where she took a diploma in ‘Women and Credit’ and ‘Policies and Programmes to facilitate access of Women Entrepreneurs to credit’, to a Training on Promotion and Marketing of Tourism Services in New York, U.S.A. and to Indonesia and Malaysia studying Rural Banking and Credit.

The constant zest she puts into her work to carry it forward has paid off with a number of awards and medals, such as the Priyadarshani Award from the Federation of International Women Entrepreneurs in New Delhi, India as outstanding Women Entrepreneur of 1999 and the Abraham Conservation Award from the World Wildlife Fund. She also acted as a country observer, at the Global Conference of International Women’s Forum in Singapore earlier this year, as the leader of the Nepalese Women Entrepreneurs delegation to the 7th Global Conference of Women Entrepreneurs in New Delhi and participated in the CIPE global conference in Washington DC, U.S.A., in June last year.

And now she has capped it all with an appointment as a Member of Parliament. Born in 1952, in Olangchungola VDC, Taplejung District in East Nepal, the widow of late Tendi Sherpa strikes a no nonsense image. It was pelting down with rain when we finally got to her front door, down one of the numerous lanes off Nag Pokhari. Even the ever untrustworthy Chinese motorbike nearly lay in ruins. Decidedly uncomfortable in damp clothes where the rain had seeped through (and it had seeped through to the most uncomfortable of places) we were ushered inside and our quite useless raincoats were taken away to be dried.

With the sound of the still falling rain now sounding peaceful and soothing as we listened to it murmuring in the background outside, the windows of the room open to let in the humid monsoon breezes, Yankila Sherpa looked tired and drowsy. It must have been the rain. The rain that had irritated us, had made her feel warmly drowsy. In other quiet corners of the city perhaps others had fallen asleep listening to the soporific music of the monsoon rains. It was around 3 p.m. and she had to be at parliament by 4.30. The room was awash with flowers and bouquets, congratulatory cards and various sweetmeats. It was pleasant just to sit there, feeling half asleep, waiting for the rain to stop.

"It was quite unexpected (the appointment)," she said. "I felt really good. Now I have two sections of involvement, one is political and the other is the tourism industry and social obligations to women". She herself acknowledged that she had "never been involved in politics" before.

Involved in tourism for over two decades, she knows the ins and outs of the business and what it takes to succeed at the top and talking on her new political appointment, she said that she would talk to her tourism counterparts in length and breadth. "We have problems and we need to prioritise. It’s only been a week (since being made MP). I’m going to meet tourism people and talk on what issues need to be addressed in parliament".

She nonchalantly dismissed the media attention thrown at her for wearing a Bakkhu (Sherpa’s dress) as a woman MP. "I think the Bakkhu is also a national dress you know. I’m a Sherpa, born in a Sherpa land. If men wear suits, I think the Bakkhu should also be allowed as one of the national dresses. I’ve even seen people in shirts and trousers in parliament".

At a time when, not just the country’s tourism but other industries have been badly hit, with private sectors trying hard to sell the image of a still beautiful Nepal, she still believes in the country’s art and culture, its mountains and its world famous pagoda like temples in Bhaktapur. She remains savvy, also, of the media’s power to present whatever image it wants to.

Open season on Fish Tail

Ram Kumar KC

"Let me go climb these virgin snows leave the dark stain of man behind."

So said British Army officer and poet NoyceW., in his famous book "Climbing the fish-tail." In 1956, Noyce, 40 years old, energetic, sets out with his friends to conquer the Fish-tail, the twin topped mountain of central Nepal. The Fish-tail of Machhapuchare consists of two summits, 22958 and 22935 feet high and about a half mile apart, they stand North and south of each other. The name of fish-tail is derived from the Nepali name Machhapuchare, machha means - Fish and puchare turns to tail or pucchar and that it looks like the tail of the fish.

Dhaulagiri has nobly stood to the left, along the side of the enormous bulk of the Annapurna range. The Fish-tail towers its white breast. The two summits give the appearance of a gigantic finger waving above the brown Banyan foot-hills. Anyone can see the beautiful dance of fishtail on the surface of Phewa lake. Fish-tail rests on the north horizon of Naudanda among the terraced fields of rice, millet, and maize. Beautiful rhododendron foot-hills have always decorated the Fish-tail with its magnificent beauty. The beautiful blue sky welcomes and meets the Annapurna somewhere far in the horizon.

It was the spring of 1957 and not a lot of infrastructure was available to arrive in Nepal from Gorakhpur. Noyce and his friends, Charles Evans, Dennis Davies, Roberts worked very hard to manage their expedition, because it took several days to carry their belongings to Pokhara. Roberts Jems, British Army Colonel, led the expedition.

At that time, Pokhara was not the city you see at present. It was a simple village with Gurung, Magar, Newar, and Chhetri dwellers. It took several days to reach Birethanti until they crossed Modi-khola observing the rich culture of the Gurungs. This beautiful civilized Gurung settlement was situated two thousands feet above the Modi. The charming and beautiful Ghandruk village is still very popular for Gurkhas, the world's bravest soldiers. Jimmy Roberts was also known in this village for his dedication to recruiting Gurkhas. Until now, thousands of them have given their blood and sweat for the British. The village is nicely decorated and painted with the local red and brown soil. Rectangular shaped houses are made in rows, the square windows look like beautiful eyes, and the roofs smile with bright slate. And this village has remained beautiful and clean. The small alleys of the village are paved with stone.

Noyce, his friends, and crew bravely crossed the 6,000ft., Chomorong, Ganesh Himal, and the thick bamboo alpine forest. At present, because of deforestation those alpine forests have been cleared and the beautiful foot-hill surroundings have been destroyed. They crossed enigmatic and gigantic glaciers and than finally they saw the twin summits like a horn, their intended destination. At first Ang-Nyima trekked with the author’s towards the summit, Tashi and Ang-Tsering, the other two Sherpas also accompanied them. It was very difficult to adjust and tackle the vertical icy snow-butter. It was too monotonous to head up icy-mountains and climb. Climbing a mountain is not a easy job and it was 45 years ago when there was not a lot of facilities available and Nepal had just been opened for outsiders. At that time Sherpa guides, maps, equipment and porters were not easily available. However, there was a little beam of hope somewhere hidden in their hearts and they used it to see the summit of Fish-tail. At last in 1957 May 20, their attempt to crown the summit of Fish-tail was successful. Noyce and his friends became the first men to scale the world’s most sacred mountain. But it is believed that they have not kissed the summit of Fish-tail. The leader of that expedition team, Roberts (at present he lives some where in Pokhara) expresses his view that they did not reach the top of the mountain. They descended before the last 25 metres.

This is the first and last attempt on the mountain, after that no one has attempted to scale this sacred mountain. Until 1949, the interior of Nepal was a forbidden land. Himalayan explorations had to wait. In 1950, Nepal was open for expedition but not the whole part of Nepal; some of its mountains and valleys remained forbidden. After cracking on the expedition door, Herzog M. also scaled Annapurna in 1950 and after sometime the government banned Annapurna too. Likewise, Tillman, HW, Tucci, and Hagen also headed expedition teams in Nepal. A dozen mountains have been scaled since and many records have been set in mountaineering.

Fish-tail and Amadablam peaks are still banned because it is believed that a goddess dwells upon that cloven summit. Gurung and other dwellers of central Nepal worship the Fish-tail everyday to keep their goddess happy. The people of Nepal believe that every mountain is sacred. Every mountain is seen as a God. But recently the sacred mountains have been opened for outsiders. And it is spoiling the majesty of fish-tail. If the beautiful icy-butter mountain remains open for mountaineering, there won’t be any mountain left for the future. It continues to be abused and dishonoured and the future of preserving one of the world’s most awesome mountains will disintegrate.

Many authors and visitors have described the entire beauty of Pokhara, Annapurna and Fish-tail too. Most of the popular and handicapped treks start from Pokhara and the beautiful natural beauty can be trekked within a few hours. Annapurna sanctuary is the world's best trek. The Annapurna circuit is considered a royal and glorious trek.

Dorothy Mierow, an American peace corp volunteer beautifully describes Pokhara and Fish tail, Machhapuchare and the Annapurna range as a background and sub tropical flowering of trees and picturesque lakes and the scenic Pokhara valley, one of the most beautiful places in the world in her book ‘Thirty Years in Pokhara’.

The Japanese Buddhist monk, Ekai Kawaguchi is the first foreigner to visit Pokhara. He said "in all my travels in the Himalayas, I saw no scenery so enchanting as that which enraptured me at Pokhara".

Likewise, Toni Hagen also describes Pokhara in his book ‘Nepal’ as, "the most beautiful place in the whole world."

Recently I came across a Taiwanese climber "Makalu Gau" who luckily survived the 1996 Everest tragedy. He also said that it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. He loves Pokhara and mountains, and he says the growing pollution in the mountains certainly destroys the charming beauty of these places.

However, the beauty of Pokhara is not simply the beauty of the city. There is the beautiful Annapurna range and Fish-tail. If you omit these beautiful background mountains or destroy its natural beauty, Pokhara will be a deserted city. The surrounding Phewa will be empty and ugly looking. Many people are against the decision of the government but we have to preserve the natural beauty of fish-tail and the Annapurna range keeping them closed from climbing. If we open all mountains for climbing, in the future there won’t be any mountains left for new generations.

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